Moonlight in the Desert
by wolfgirl535
Summary: During the Chunin exams, Gaara meets someone. Someone strong, someone cold, yet kind. She comes to know everything about him but she isn't afraid. If he lets her, she could be the love of his life.
1. Chapter 1

Deep in a cave, three young women waited anxiously, for what seemed like an eternity, for the decision that was to be placed upon them by the two powerful Spirits who protected the land. A heavy burden had been placed upon the two, for they were going to decide the fate of the three in a matter of speaking. Whatever they decided, the three would obey without question but The Spirits knew how much this meant to the women. Finally, the two Spirits revealed themselves before the women who eagerly awaited the answer. The first to speak was the Water Spirit, a woman made of water with hair and dress flowing everywhere. Next to her stood the Moon Spirit, pure moonlight in the form of an equally beautiful woman.

The Water Spirit began, "The Moon Spirit and I have finally come to a decision."

The three young women leaned in closer with excitement of hesitation in the pit of their stomachs and fire in their eyes.

"We have decided to send the three of you to the chunin exams."

The Moon Spirit put her sentiment in as well, "You all must become chunin before even the idea of revenge should cross your minds."

"Understood?!" the last thing both had to say at the same time. The three young women stood up before the two Spirits and bowed their head respectively each saying their own thanks.

The first on the far right began, "Thank you both so very much for this fine opportunity."

The shorter one in the middle was next to speak, "You will not regret your decision and we will not fail you."

Finally the last one and the tallest on the left spoke, "We will return to you as great chunin and then we can carry out our plans for revenge."

The two Spirits bowed their heads and dismissed the girls as they returned to their own shrines. The three women turned from the blue and white shrines and started out of the cave on the way to Konohagakure.

"That's gotta smart." Konohamaru looked up to see who he had just run into. It was the leg of a Suna shinobi, a big one and ugly at that, dressed in all black with what appeared to be a cat-ears hat and purple paint on his face. Next to him was a young blonde, also from Suna, in a short little kimono, a red sash around her waist and fishnets.

"Konohamaru!" Naruto called to his little friend frantically, while looking up to the guy in black he had just run into. Naruto was nervous for Konohamaru.

The guy in black looked down at the little boy who had just run into his leg, narrowing his eyes to him. The guy in black picked Konohamaru up "That hurt snotface!"

The pretty blonde next to the one in black scowled at her teammate, "Knock it off! You're gonna get it as it is."

The pink haired Kunoichi came up ready to take the blame, she felt terrible for getting Konohamaru in trouble with the Suna ninja. "It was my fault. I was fooling around . . ."

"Put him down you big ape!" Naruto was getting angry now, seeing the guy in black dangling Konohamaru by the scarf around his neck. "I just wanted to play with him a little . . .while we wait for the nuisance to get here."

Naruto felt fire throughout his whole body and ran for the guy in black. "You son of a--" Naruto attempted to attack the guy in black but he was thrown back before he even knew what was going on.

"What a wimp! Is that the best Konoha's genin can do?!"

Naruto sat up from where he was thrown. "Hey you, in the black pig suit! Release him now and I'll go easy on you bonehead!"

The pink-haired Kunoichi wrapped her arm around Naruto's neck, choking him violently "You're the bonehead! Do you want that guy to kick your ass?!"

The Suna ninja looked at Naruto with disgust "You're starting to annoy me. First off, I'm allergic to "Shrimp". Bad enough that you're a short little kid . . .you're disrespecting your elders! You make me want to kill him!"

"What?!" Naruto was really worried now, his eyes full of fear for the Hokage's grandson.

The young blonde girl turned away from her teammate, "I will not be held responsible for this."

"You . . .you . . ." Naruto couldn't get the words out or he was at a loss for any words at all.

The one in black smiled at what seemed to him like his teammates approval and looked at his catch. "So I will finish with this tiny shrimp and move on to the jumbo shrimp over there."

Suddenly, something went flying downward and connected with the Suna's hand. It was a rock. The Uchiha sat in the tree near them, throwing another small rock up and down in his hand. "Tell me. What are you guy's doing in our village?"

The pink-haired Kunoichi stared at the Uchiha in the tree with buckets of joy and delight. "It's Sasuke!"

The Suna in black looked at the one called Sasuke, still sitting up in the tree looking down on his prey. "Oh look another little brat."

Sasuke kept his usual cool yet cold face but the tone in his voice told a different story. "Get lost."

"Come down here you little squirrel. Think you're pretty smart don't cha." The one in black didn't like to be told what to do. He started to pull whatever was on his back, some long thing tightly wrapped in bandages. The blonde noticed and looked shocked. "Don't tell me you plan to use the crow?!"

"Kankuro don't!" Sasuke looked over to the branch on the other side of the tree. Another Suna shinobi hung from the branch upside down with a large gourd on his back and the kanji "love" carved above his left eye. "You're a disgrace to our entire village."

Kankuro looked up at his teammate with nervous eyes. "Ga-arra!"

Gaara looked down on Kankuro, his idiotic teammate with no sense at all. Standing there with these idiots disgracing himself. "It's annoying me that use loose control in a quarrel with children. Have you forgotten why we came here?"

Kankuro was frightened but still willing to defend himself. "But Gaara, they started it, the little one slammed."

Gaara obviously didn't want to hear it. "Shut up or I'll kill you!"

Kankuro had been defeated, cowering behind an obvious fake smile full of cold fear. "You're right Gaara. I was out of line."

The pretty blond cowered as well with reassuring body language. "We're sorry, okay Gaara, really, really sorry."

Gaara teleported in a whirlwind of sand and appeared in between the two. "Sorry about my friends." He glared at Kankuro with his blackened eyes and Basilisk stairs. "I know we're a little early . . . but we didn't come here to play around."

Kankuro hated it, feeling weak before the younger of the two but he knew if he went against him, Gaara wouldn't hesitate to kill him. "I swear it won't happen again."

"Pathetic Sand Village ninja letting stupid weaklings like these bother you so much." A girly sounding voice sprang up from around the corner. The taller girl from the cave appeared, staring at Kankuro coyly. The blonde looked at the tall girl with disgust, and finally noticed her headband. It was a crescent moon. The blonde knew where she was from.

"Pathetic Moon Village ninja sticking her nose where it doesn't belong!" The blonde felt like she had won. "Pathetic Sand Village wench thinking that everything revolves around her." The second tallest girl appeared next to the tallest one. Cold, evil, eyes staring threw the others very souls that even the devil would be afraid of. The blonde was stumped but put her and on the thick metal object on her back ready to attack. Gaara noticed the bloodthirsty aura coming off the blonde. "That's enough, Temari!" Temari wasn't going to listen to Gaara and started pulling out her weapon. Suddenly, the shortest of the three appeared. "Please calm down you two. There's no need for a fight, now is there?" Temari listened and let go of the metal weapon but the girl with the evil eyes didn't drop her cold gaze.

The short girl stepped forward. "The blonde here has a point. We shouldn't get involved when we don't need to, especially with such weaklings." Temari glared at the insult and would've done or said something about it, if it weren't for Gaara's gaze she felt on her back. Kankuro of course wasn't paying any attention to Temari; he was fascinated with the three Moon Village ninja. All three were very beautiful.

The tallest had blonde hair with several pieces in small braids with one to four beads in the braids and deep sea-blue eyes. She wore what looked similar to a bikini, short shorts, a brown belt with a pouch on her right hip, and 6in. high cowboy looking boots. Finally, an ankle long scarf with her headband stitched in the middle.

The second, the shortest of the three had raven black hair tied in two ponytails at knee length with pitch black eyes, and pale skin. She wore what looked like a leotard with tight long sleeves ending at her lower arm between her wrists and her elbow. Ankle-high black boots with her headband loosely tied on her waist.

The third, the one with the extremely cold eyes had silvery white hair but not perfectly straight, a few strands sticking out, put up in a high ponytail, her length in the middle of her back, her bangs in a strange style, a large piece in front of her right eye, three smaller pieces on the left side of her face under her eye, and several other pieces on her right side. Though they were cold, her eyes were striking aquamarine blue. She wore a short sleeved shirt with shorts, an overcoat, a black belt tied tightly around her waist with a silver-bladed katana at her side and kung fu shoes. Her headband tied around her neck like a dog caller.

Kankuro was mesmerized with the three young girls. _**Wow, what hotties! **_Kankuro walked over to the three starting with the tallest. _**She's taller than me, but what a body! **_"If I told you, you had a nice body, would you hold it against me?"

The tallest looked at Kankuro with her spicy feminine eyes, "If you say my nails are nice, perhaps I'll drive them into you!"

_**Damn, one down, two to go! **_He looked to the shortest of the three. _**Creepy eyes, but I love the ivory skin! **_ "Have we met before, you look familiar. You look like my next girlfriend."

The shortest didn't even look at Kankuro, keeping her black eyes shut, "Really, then you should stop talking to me or she might get jealous."

_**God, what is with these chicks?! **_He looked to the last, the one he'd hoped he wouldn't need to talk to. _**This one's hot but her eyes are so . . . she reminds me too much of Gaara.**_ Kankuro walked to the white-haired vixen in hopes of a better response.

Gaara was getting annoyed watching Kankuro try his hand with the women. He wasn't getting anywhere from the seemingly kinder two, he knew it wasn't going to be any better from the one with the cold blue eyes. "Kankuro, that's enough!"

Kankuro just ignored his younger teammate. _**You're just jealous that I have to guts to chase women when they won't even be within one hundred feet of you! **_"Hey there sexy eyes! Do you have a map; I think I'm getting lost in them?"

She looked at Kankuro with her cold blue eyes with nothing but disgust. "Well then, perhaps you should grow a brain and get lost somewhere else." _**You little bitch! **_

The three started picking up the pace, leaving Kankuro standing behind them. He turned around quickly with raging fire burning in his eyes as he grabbed the girl with the white hair's arm. "Listen here you little bitch! And turn around to look at me when I'm talking to you."

She turned to look at the one yelling at her, her striking aquamarine eyes with deadly tidal waves surging inside as she grabbed the arm Kankuro had used to grab her. She pushed her thumb in the gap between his middle finger's and ring finger's knuckle to force him to let her go. As soon as he did, she took hold of the arm that had just let her go, brought it over her shoulder, and flung him to the tree Gaara had been in not to long ago. His back hit the tree with a loud crunching sound; the impact had made a dent in the trunk, surprisingly enough not hurting Kankuro too badly. Before he realized it, the girl was in front of him, with the katana that was at her hilt against his throat.

Kankuro looked now at the woman in front of him. He hated to admit it, even to himself, but in the very back of his mind, he was afraid. "Don't you ever grab me again! Or next time, you'll feel how cold, sleek, and sharp this blade is!"

Kankuro nodded slightly, enough for her to see but little enough, he hoped, that the others could not. The girl pulled away from him, returned her blade to its place at her side, and started off with her teammates.

"Let's go girls."

The short one started off with an uncaring face for what had just happened. "About time."

The tallest was very happy and looked at Kankuro with a cocky grin. "Serves you right Ass! Never underestimate the power of a woman! Ha!"

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a young girl jumped up from around the corner, running with a lunchbox in her hand and a fish in her mouth. She had long white hair with black ends. She wore a short kimono cut around the waist to make it a two piece with wooden sandals and baggy tights, both starting at her ankle, one on her right side which came all the way up to the middle of her upper leg and one on her left which stopped right under her knee. Around her wrists were two headbands, on her right, the Konoha, Leaf headband but on the left, the Take, Bamboo headband.

Not far behind, two boys were following her, twins. The main difference between the two was their hair. One, the oldest, had green hair with orange sections while the younger had orange hair with green sections. Both wearing the same thing as the girl only for guys and not cut around the middle.

Trying his hardest to keep up, an old man. "Get back here you little thief!"

The girl looked back at him, "Screw you, old man!"

"Run, Kero! Run!" The twins were screaming in unison after the girl with tears in their eyes.

Naruto looked at the girl called Kero. _**Kamori Kero. Even crazier than I am. Always seems to be running away from somebody. When I first heard about her in class, I thought she was a guy, with her guy name and all.**_

Naruto looked to the crazy twins running. _**Hyosue and Hyoue. Twins that follow Kero wherever she goes and are always chasing after her. I swear they're all mental. **_

Kero in mid jump looked down to see Sasuke. The two stared at each other in their own little world in a slow-motion like state. When it ended, Kero jumped on the ground and continued to run with the twins still running after her, tears in their eyes.

The old man took only a few more steps until he collapsed on the ground.

Gaara started off. "Let's go."

Sakura hadn't had the mind to ask before but now was her chance and she wasn't gonna miss it. "Wait!"

Gaara turned to the pink-haired Kunoichi. "Yes"

Sakura was pleased she got his attention "According to your headband, you three are from the Village Hidden in the Sand. Your country is one of Konoha's allies . . . but according to our treaties your ninja are not permitted to cross the border without authorization. State your business. We can't just let you go on your marry way."

Temari took the opportunity to be clever. "Ever heard of the old saying about it being darkest at the bass of the brightest lighthouse. Weren't you informed? As you guess, we are junior level ninja from the Hidden Sand Village. We are to take chunin selection exam."

Naruto, being the idiot that he is, was clueless. "What are the chunin selection?"

Temari, though happy to show off, wondered how someone could be so stupid. "You really don't know. Junior ninja are sent from the Hidden Sand Village and the mirrored lands between mine and yours to compete against Konoha's own candidates."

Naruto didn't quite understand but he tried to keep up. "Why test us all together?"

She continued, "Mainly to maintain the skill of all symbols at the same high level of excellence. Also to form friendship and understanding between ninja. And of course to maintain the balance of power between the lands themselves."

Sasuke was interested in the blonde's explanation but much more interested in the leader of the Suna group. "Hey you there, what's your name?"

Temari started to blush, "Who me?!"

Sasuke saw her blush and became a little annoyed thinking this was just going to be another fan girl. "No, I was talking to the spook beside you."

Gaara looked at the one called Sasuke suspiciously, "Gaara of the Desert at your service. And you"

Sasuke smiled devilishly at this new prey. "Uchiha Sasuke." Gaara and Sasuke began to stare at each other dead in the eyes. Intimidation was the obvious hope in reaction but neither succumbed to it. They might've continued to stare until either the end of time or a fight broke out but Naruto broke the silence.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't you wanna know my name?!" Naruto gleamed with excitement and joy with the idea of boasting but Gaara wouldn't comply. "No. Let's go."

Sasuke wasn't done speaking just yet. He didn't care if this Gaara stayed or not but the women needed to. "You there, girl with the white hair."

She turned to the Uchiha who called out to her. "What do you want?"

Gaara stopped, he knew what Sasuke was going to ask, he wanted to know as well. "What's your name?" Sasuke was hoping it wasn't going to be a fight to get her name.

"I won't give my name unless you ask it of my teammates as well."

Sasuke didn't care that much about them, they did seem strong though so knowing their names wasn't so bad either. "Fine. There names too."

The tallest began, "The names Izonza!"

The shortest spoke second, "My name's Mayuri."

The girl with cold eyes spoke last, "Shira."

With that the Suna team and the Getsuei team went there separate ways leaving the three Konoha ninja to wonder what the future would hold.

"Hey, Sakura?"

An annoyed look spread across the pink-haired Kunoichi's face. "What, Naruto?!"

"What are we gonna do with this old man?"

"AAAAAAHHHHHHH!" The old man had totally left her mind.


	2. Chapter 2

Shira, Mayuri, and Izonza turned a few corners as fast as they could to get away from the Suna ninja. "Man those Sand ninja really piss me off! RRRAAAHHH!" Mayuri and Izonza started laughing. They both knew that the only time Shira acted like her normal self was when she was with them. Any other time, like before, when they were near other people, she would act cold all the time. The truth was, Shira was kind when she wanted to be, caring, but with a terrible temper.

"That retard in the bat suit was the worst. Hitting on us like that. First of all, there was no flattering in his voice so you knew he just wanted some ass. Second of all, his pick-up lines sucked." Shira laughed at her hyper friend. She always made something funny. It was her gift. They could've been in the middle of a battlefield full of bodies thrown around and killed in the most horrible ways imaginable, but Izonza would look past all of that, and would say something like, "Check out that dudes face. Looks like the battle started too early for him, if ya know what I mean!"

"I know it was annoying but we should consider ourselves lucky. Besides that back there and the issue when we first came in, we've had really no problems." Shira looked at Mayuri. She knew her shorter friend was right. She was always right. A very smart girl with nothing but common sense coming out of her mouth.

Shira thought back to the earlier event Mayuri was talking about.

About thirty minutes ago when they had tried to get inside Konoha, they had first made their way to the gate when they noticed the guards there, waiting anxiously. "You see those idiots there? Look at them, all happy and stupid. What do you wanna bet that they have a whole big welcome thing behind the doors?" Shira and Mayuri nodded there heads saying, "Yeah." at the same time. They knew for a fact Izonza was right.

Mayuri started looking around, "We'll just find another way in."

Shira started to move, "Lets take the back way. Or better yet, the side."

Izonza smiled. She liked the way their leader thought "Good idea."

Mayuri thought the same. "Lead the way."

At the point where the three women had decided to enter, an unfamiliar face was pacing back and forth. She suddenly stopped her pacing and shouted to the sky. "Oh Kakashi, where are you?! You promised to meet me here today!"

Shira and her team sat in the trees watching this strange Konoha shinobi shouting for somebody named Kakashi. The three looked this older woman over. She appeared to be about 26, with shiny brown hair, her bangs just like Sakura's, the rest of her hair up in a high ponytail, hair stopping at the end of her neck. She was wearing the traditional Konoha's ninja attire with her own style of course. A spiked dog caller, shoulder pads with spikes on it, long loose-fitting sleeves that go way past her fingers with frayed pieces at the end. Two spiked callers around her upper arm on the outside of the sleeves. Two large breast pockets and a fishnet strip down the middle of shirt. A black belt and the normal pants, wearing her shuriken throwing stars on her right thigh and her headband around her forehead.

This strange woman continued to pace back and fourth. "What a weird woman." Shira and Mayuri looked at Izonza. "What?" Still, the two continued to stare at Izonza. They both knew how weird their tall blonde friend was.

Shira looked away from Izonza as she kept saying "What?!" over and over. Shira started watching the woman again. "She doesn't look very strong. We should be able to get past her easily."

Mayuri and Izonza nodded. The three jumped one tree closer to the woman when suddenly, three kunai were thrown in their direction. They ducked to avoid being hit. All three looked in the directing the kunai knives had come. The whiny woman from before was looking straight at them, angrily. "What do you think you three girls are doing?!"

"What do you think you're doing you crazy bitch! Throwing those knives at us like that!" Izonza was pissed, but it was also a way to cover up her slight shock.

The angry Konoha Kunoichi looked at them square in the eyes. "I have every right to attack trespassers on my homeland. I, Isumekey, will not let you pass!"

"Do not underestimate us." Mayuri took hold of her friends by the arms.

Suddenly, before Isumekey even knew it, the three young women in front of her were gone.

"And . . ." Isumekey turned to see the shorter girl who was speaking to her before with her two teammates, standing on the wall behind her. "We have better things to do than hang around here."

The girls jumped down onto the ground, leaving Isumekey spellbound. _**Well, I'll know better next time not to underestimate them. **_She stood there, staring at the wall with her hands on her hips. And then it donned on her. _**Oh my God, duh! The chunin exams I should've known.**_ Realizing what was going on, Isumekey jumped off toward the exam building.

"What was that chicks name again, Izumalli?" Izonza had a thing for talking to herself or at least talking to the two of them and not expecting an answer which usually was the case.

"Here it is." Shira pointed to the large exam building. "Let's go in."

"Is someone as talentless as you really planning on taking the chunin exams? Why bother?" The Konoha shinobi looked down at the fool in green he'd just kicked.

"Bunch of wet-behind-ears snotnoses." The guy next to the other was no better.

"You said it." The first seemed like he was having fun messing with the genin.

A pretty girl, tall with her hair put into two buns approached hoping to reason with the two. "Please we're begging you . . . let us in."

The many other ninja around looked on horrified as the girl was slapped. "That's just cruel." Comments like that were made for a moment or two.

Shira and her team made their way up the stairs, looking at the large crowd. They knew immediately what was really going on, but felt that it was pointless to waist their time showing off. They whispered to each other that it would just be best for them to wait for someone else to find out.

"Move aside, and drop that Genjutsu you're using." Sasuke looked serious but the crowd was obviously in doubt.

"What are you talking about?" The two knew what the Uchiha was talking about but couldn't believe someone had seen it.

Sasuke looked at Sakura. She'd been feeling down lately and he knew this would cheer her up. "You saw it didn't you Sakura?"

Sakura looked at Sasuke surprised at first but happy that he thought so highly of her. _**Thank you, Sasuke.**_ "Of course I did. It's obvious we're still on the second floor!"

The crowd watched as the Genjutsu fell revealing that it wasn't 301 but 201. Shira and her team looked on to the team they had met not to long ago. Shira smiled. _**That girl, her chakra control is impressive. She's smart too. **_

"Why you . . ." The Konoha shinobi swung a punch at Sasuke who returned it with a powerful kick. Suddenly, the apparent loser from before in green came in between the two and stopped the blows. Everyone looked on surprised at what the loser who was getting his ass kicked from before was now showing off some interesting power.

Mayuri was angry, her whole team was, but she was easily irritated when it came to honor. The Konoha ninja who were guarding the door were being pathetic.

"Alright. That's enough!" Mayuri pushed the shinobi away from Sasuke and the one in green. Sasuke was amazed. _**I . . . I didn't even see her move. Suddenly she was just . . . there. **_The other shinobi was also surprised. "Get over yourself you pathetic excuse of a ninja. So your Genjutsu was seen threw, so what! You disgust me! People like you should just die! I have a right mind to kill you right now! Do you want that?!"

The shinobi looked on in fear. The black haired girl's eyes were like a void. There was nothing inside but never ending darkness. A new form of hell.

Shira and Izonza were a little worried for their scary friend. Mayuri didn't have that big of a temper but when she got mad, all hell would break loose. It was dangerous to have her mad, her powers were very much so controlled by emotions, the more she felt the more energy she unleashed. The two ran to their raven-haired friend to come her down.

Shira was behind her rubbing her arms up and down like someone would do for someone who was cold. "Okay Mayuri, calm down."

Izonza was in front of Mayuri holding both her hand tightly in her own. "This guy's a stupid ass. We all know that. Now calm down okay."

Mayuri was only pissed for a moment more until she finally cooled down. Shira continued to rub her friend's arms. "Better, yes?"

Mayuri smiled at her two friends, happily. "Yes. Thank you, both."

Izonza still held one of Mayuri's hands. "How about a little fresh air?"

Mayuri calmly nodded. The three started off when one of the other ninja from before came over to them, being ever so cautious. "Excuse me, girls.

Shira was pissed; she didn't want Mayuri to be angry any more. She knew Mayuri's anger was just a way of covering up her sadness. "What do you want?!"

"Um . . .!" He was scared of the white-haired girl; her cold eyes were stabbing his soul. _**Man, she's scary! Her eyes are horrible. Like staring a wolf dead in the face.**_ "According to you're headbands, you three are from Getsueigakure, The Village Hidden Under the Moon."

"Yeah, so?!" Izonza was annoyed with this stupid fool. _**Of course we're from the Moon Village, we have crescent moons on our headbands for God's sake!**_

"Well, you're not supposed to be here. You are from the Land of Water." He wanted the three gone and now.

Shira stood forward. "Yes that's true but we have permission to be here. This is a diplomatic matter, you see. The MizuMorikage had wanted to organize this sooner but hadn't found the time," Shira pulled a folded up document from her shirt. "Here you are."

The ninja read the document given to him:

**The cell who passes whoever is reading this has been given permission to participate in the chunin exams organized by and held by Konoha. Dew to recent declining in communicating between Getsuei and the other head shinobi countries, said cell has been sent in hopes of rekindling the friendship and communication of the villages. Please allow this one-man cell to enter the exams to show what our apparently forgotten village can do. Only the best of course for such an important even with hopes the ninja and feudal lords will be please with our selection.**

**MizuMorikaga**

**My regards to this extremely fine one-****woman**** cell who will most certainly be a joy to watch.**

**Water Daimyo**

_**Damn!**_ He only had one more thing he could do to get rid of the three Kunoichi. "What about a sensei, eh? I don't see one around. No sensei, no entry."

Mayuri stepped forward, calmly. "Well, in case you didn't know. We're the only ones from our village left. There's no way we could have a sensei."

_**Bingo! No more crazy bitches!**_ "Well, I'm sorry but those are the rules."

_**Damn!**_ Shira knew those were the rules, but what could they do.

"If you need to see their sensei, then I'll speak with you." Isumekey stepped forward from the hall to the surprised Konoha shinobi.

The three girls were just as surprised, but as if on cue Izonza made one of her lovely comments. "Wasn't your name Izumalli?"

"Uh!" Isumekey was shocked. "Why you little . . . my name is Isumekey, you hear?! Say it with me, I-su-me-key!

"You are their sensei Master Isumekey? But . . .but?!" He didn't know what to say. Isumekey was known for doing some interesting things, but this.

"Its fine, the Hokage gave me permission." Isumekey waved her hand up and down in a reassuring manner with a smile on her face.

The ninja was defeated. Now that Isumekey was here, there was nothing he could do. He walked away without saying another word.

After a moment of fresh air the four of them turned for the exam room. Isumekey came over to Shira's side and whispered to her a message of warning. "You three better be strong. I don't want to be embarrassed over sticking my neck out for a bunch of weaklings!"

Shira could understand Isumekey's reasons for her words but felt a little insulted at the same time. "Not to worry. I can assure you, we three are very strong!"

Isumekey nodded and smiled a devious smile as they turned the corner.


	3. Chapter 3

"But you're all here because you want to be. And I'm very, very proud of you." Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura stood before a tall Konoha shinobi, his headband cocked to the side, covering up is left eye.

"Now get in th-"

"Kakashi, my love!" Isumekey jumped on Kakashi, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. His expression, despite the huge amount of shock on his students face, didn't change at all. It stayed in his usual uncaring look. "Oh, hello, Isumekey."

"Kakashi! You told me to meet you outside of the village but you never came!" Isumekey was whining now, shaking Kakashi back and forth. "Oh, I'm sorry, Isumekey. I forgot." Kakashi smiled his usual idiotic smile.

"Hey Master Isumekey."

"Oh, hi, Naruto. I didn't see you there."

"Uh?!" Naruto hated when she did that. Isumekey would notice Sakura and Sasuke, but never seem to remember he existed.

Shira and her team were watching from the end of the hall. Seeing their new sensei acting like that was . . . embarrassing. But again Izonza had to say something.

"Hey Sensei, this was the guy you were nagging about right. What has his name? Kakashit?"

"Uh?!" Isumekey was speechless. Kakashi on the other hand, seemed amused. "Ka-ka-shit?"

"No, no, no, no, no! You crazy little blonde! How dare you insult my darling Kakashi! Hear that? It's Kakashi, not Kakashit, Ka-ka-shi!" Isumekey was furious.

Izonza made a mental note _**Never insult Kaka-what's his name. **_"Okay."

Kakashi was glad to see Isumekey in her normal mood again. After he'd killed Momochi Zabuza and his "tool" Haku, he'd noticed she seemed down. When he'd been given the mission, she'd wanted to come along. She'd said it was to help teach his students but it was just an excuse to be with him and he knew it. He'd had a bad feeling so he told her to stay behind. After he'd told her about Haku, she seemed on the verge of tears. He'd followed her that night only to find her crying her eyes out over a picture of herself and a little boy who looked a lot like Haku. He'd tried to comfort her, actually showing some affection for her by hugging her from behind, but he'd feared that she wouldn't be the same. She'd told him before about her half Uchiha blood and half whatever Haku was. Her mother had run away to Konoha with her father taking the Uchiha name but had never told Isumekey anything except where she was from. Isumekey had searched only to find Haku and his family. She'd spent many days there and watched Haku grow who considered her like a sister. Isumekey was devastated when she saw what had happened to Haku's house and had wondered if Haku was safe. Hearing from Kakashi, she said, had made her feel better but Kakashi wasn't sure. He thought she seemed fine now.

"Isumekey, I see you took these ladies as your students." Kakashi needed to change the subject before he started laughing over the grammar issue with his name.

"Sure, I mean, it sucked that I was given last pick so by the time they got to me, there were no students left. This is my chance to actually do something instead of watching everyone else for a year or two."

Naruto was happy she'd taken the scary girls from before. He'd hated it when Kakashi was trying to train them and Isumekey had popped up out of nowhere hugging and groping over their sensei.

Kakashi was pleased as well. "I see. Well we can talk more later. Right now you six had better get in there."

Shira and her team hurried inside to find a huge crowd of people staring at them. Looking around they saw plenty ninja from the main villages: Konoha, Suna, Ame, Kusa, and Taki. But that wasn't who they were really looking for. Oto was their target. Might as well kill two birds with one stone, as they say. Enter and become chunin, while taking down a few of the bastards they wanted dead. Nothing would make them happier.

"Well look what we have here. It's the twin monsters." Shira and her team looked over to the side to see a cell of three male Take ninja speaking harshly to the two twins who were running together not to long ago.

"Jeez, why are Bamboo ninja so cruel?" Not only Izonza, but Shira, Mayuri, and everyone knew Takegakura's issue with twins. No one knew why they didn't like them but The Village Hidden in the Bamboo believed that twins were a bad omen.

"I don't know." Shira didn't like seeing people treated badly for their faults or differences. None of her team did. They all knew how it felt.

"You three! That's enough." Kero came up to defend her two friends. Beautiful, blazing fire in her eyes and hands on her hips. "Leave those two alone!"

The three guys started laughing. This girl didn't intimidate them in the least bit. "Oh look, its little psycho, Kero."

Kero didn't even try to respond. She just put her hands behind the twins backs and started pushing them away, asking if both were alright.

The three continued to laugh. "I don't know who the bigger monster is. But since there are two of the twins I have my money on them."

Kero stopped suddenly. The twins looked at her fearfully. Her eyes were shaded and her head was down. Suddenly she turned, grabbing the jaw of the one who'd been talking. She was strong. So strong in fact, that she lifted the Take ninja off the ground. Everyone was watching now, seeing this girl lifting a man off the ground by his jaw was a thrill and a fright. Suddenly, she threw the boy down, hard. She started walking away when the boy jumped back up and grabbed Kero by the arm.

"How dare you grab me you little bitch!" Suddenly the twins were behind the angry guy, each with a kunai to his neck. "Don't you ever call her a bitch again!"

The twins took their knives away and returned it to the pouch hidden under their clothes. The Take ninja fell to the floor, a dark spot forming on his pants. His friends started mocking him. "Dude, you pissed your pants?"

The twins went to Kero quickly, each ripping a piece of their sleeve off and tying it around Kero's wrists. Naruto kept trying to figure it out but couldn't so he turned to Sakura. "Why are they wrapping her wrists?" Sakura shrugged, she didn't know. But Sasuke did. _**Naruto of course wouldn't notice.**_

Sasuke thought back to when Kero grabbed the Take shinobi's jaw, her wrists popped. Thin slits opened, releasing a large amount of blood but only when the wound opened. Afterward, only small drops of blood would fall.

_**Her wrists popped open suddenly. Now that I think about it, she had slit scars on her wrists. **_Naruto was also in his own train of thought. _**Is that really Kero? **_

"Listen up everyone; we have three new students joining our class today." It was two years ago, when Kero and the twins had joined Naruto's class. Iruka sensei stood with the three at the front of the room with Kero at his left side and the twins at her left.

"These two boys, starting from the left are Hyosue and Hyoue." The twins bowed at the same time saying their greeting at the same time as well with huge grins on their faces. "Nice to meet ya."

"And this pretty little lady here is Kamori Kero." Kero bowed with a pretty little smile on her face. "Hello. It's very nice to meet you."

"Hey freak, what kind of hair is that, huh?" Naruto remembered Kero was often picked on in class for her strange hair she clamed was natural. One day in particular caught his memory. She was being picked on by two boys. "Tryin' to show off for all the guys? Or do you just like the attention?"

The first boy started laughing over what his friend had just said but only for a moment. "Look at her. Can't even speak? What kind of ninja are you?"

Both boys started laughing but Kero didn't even look at them. She just stared straight ahead smiling a small, sad smile.

Naruto couldn't take it anymore. He got up and stomped his way over to the two boys, still laughing hysterically. "Shut up! You guys are old enough to know better than to pick on a little girl!"

They tried to say something but Naruto didn't want to hear it. He let a powerful punch fly and hit the first "right in the kisser." They ran off crying in fear. "Just you wait, we're gonna tell Iruka sensei on you Naruto!"

"Go ahead!" Naruto didn't care. He was in trouble with Iruka sensei all the time. Besides, he'd had good reasons . . . this time. Naruto looked at Kero. She was staring at him with surprise and confusion. Naruto was angry. "Why didn't you stick up for yourself?! You're a ninja aren't you?! Why don't you punch them in the face and shut them up?!"

Kero just smiled her sad smile. "It's okay. It's not a big deal. I'm used to it.

Naruto's anger left him and he looked down on her with a sympathetic face. "I know what you mean." Naruto smiled, "So what kinda name is Kero anyway? Isn't that a guy's name?"

Kero looked at him with a smile on her face but her eyebrows narrowed. "You're one to talk! What kinda name is Naruto, huh?"

_**She was different than the others. She was always nice to me and always greeted me with a smile. I never thought she would make it as a ninja and that she never had it in her. I guess you never know about people. **_

"Would you guys . . .do us all a favor and just shut up?!"

A Konoha shinobi with gray hair and purple clothes came over to them, clearly annoyed. "You four gangs of would-be hotshots are all genin right? Kids barely out of the local ninja academy. All wet-behind-the-ears and runny-nosed. This isn't a school field trip, you know.

Ino came up confused. "Who the heck do you think you are?"

He smiled a cocky smile. "Name's Kabuto. So what? You kids need to open your eyes."

"Why?" Confused, Sakura turned around behind her. The angry faces of a cell of Rain ninja were glaring at them. Even Shira and her team were annoyed. Besides the whole thing with the girl only a moment ago, the rookies from Konoha were very loud.

"Shinobi skill cards?" Shira heard Sakura's voice. She was just as loud as the others.

"Ooo!" Shinobi skill cards! I love those things! They are so cool!" Izonza knew quite a bit about skill cards. One could use them to look at the information of other ninja by pumping their charka into the cards.

Kabuto had been explaining everything about the cards to Sasuke and the other rookies. Sasuke had asked Kabuto to look up someone for him. " . . .I'll be happy to look him up and let you know what I have so far."

"Gaara, from Sunagakure-The Sand Village, Rock Lee, from Konoha, Shira from Getsueigakure-The Moon Village, and Kero, from Konoha." Sasuke was serious and demanding.

"Hear that, Shira? That guy from before is interested in knowing about you." Mayuri was whispering to Shira and discreetly pointing to Sasuke. Shira didn't know who this Rock Lee was, but she did want to hear about Gaara and Kero.

"Next is Gaara of the Sand . . .desert country . . .Eight C-ranked missions . . .one B. Wow! Not many rookie shinobi get B-ranked assignments! Since he's from way out in the desert, I have less on him . . .But it's interesting. He's come back every mission completely unscathed. Without a scratch . . .

_**Interesting . . . a B-ranked mission . . .comes back every time without a scratch. I wonder what he can do.**_

Kabuto continued, "Now for the Moon Village girl. Seems like she and her team are here on a diplomatic matter or something like that. Other than that, I don't have anything on her, not even her missions."

"Why not?" Sasuke wanted to know everything he could about the people he believed were strong.

Kabuto looked at Sasuke, confused. "I'm not sure. It might have to do with the fact that Getsuei is an island country. Even though it is the second country in the Land of Water to have a kage, the MizuMorikage, not that much is known."

"Hey, I thought the Mizukage was the only kage in the Land of Water?" Naruto scratched his head with confusion with his closed fox-like eyes.

Sakura looked at him like he was an idiot. "Do you even know who the Mizukage is?"

"Sure. It's the kage for Kirigakure, the Village Hidden in the Mist."

"Oh." Sakura was a little surprised_**. After that whole thing with Momochi Zabuza, he must've looked into the Hidden Mist Village or something. **_

"That, and the incident about two years ago." Kabuto wasn't finished before Naruto interrupted.

"What incident two years ago?" Naruto kept his closed fox-like eyes.

"I heard something about it. There was an attack or something but that's all I know." Sakura remembered reading about it in class two years ago.

Kabuto smiled a cocky smile. "That's not even the half of it."

"Huh?!" Sakura was confused. _**What more is there to know?**_

"There was a rumor going around about two years ago that Getsuei had a weapon. A weapon so powerful, it was capable of taking over all the villages in one hour. Or so it went. So all the hidden villages gathered their best ninja together and attacked the Moon Village. They never found the weapon, but . . ."

"But what?" Sakura was very interested now.

"But, the attacks lead to the complete annihilation of the Hidden Moon Village and the murder of all it's people."

_**Oh my God!**_ Sakura was speechless but her mind was racing. _**Why were all the people killed? Why was the village destroyed? Why didn't we know about this? But more importantly. If all the people were killed, who are these three girls here? **_

Naruto and Sasuke had angry and disturbed looks. They were wondering the same things and Sakura.

"Now, onto the other Konoha shinobi." Kabuto knew he needed to change the subject. "Kamori Kero. She's been on 3 D-ranked missions but 5 C-ranked. She didn't do enough missions but for some reason she was able to get in. This is also interesting. So far, jutsu wise, there's nothing known. It seems she's just always used her shuriken and kunai knives but it says she does posses them, they're just unknown right now."

Shira and her team were furious. They'd barely heard what the gray-haired guy had said about Kero. "Ha. So that's all they know, eh?" Izonza was doing her best to calm down.

"And he said that pink-haired girl didn't know the half of it." Mayuri was trying to do the same as Izonza.

Shira was just angry. She had nothing to say. Grinding her teeth, closing her furious eyes and clenching her fists digging her nails into the palm of her hand, almost making them bleed. Finally, she spoke. "All the more reason to become chunin and get our revenge. We are the last of Getsuei and we are going to see that its people are put to peace!"


	4. Chapter 4

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto!! And none of you are gonna beat me!!!!"

"What?!" Izonza totally snapped out of her mood. "That little punk's got some nerve."

"He's confident and that's good for stamina, I suppose." Mayuri looked kind of annoyed but looked like she was about to laugh as well.

Shira just stared at the idiot yelling. _**Dumb Ass!**_

Suddenly, the Sound ninja with the word "death" on his shirt jumped up and threw knives at the grey-haired shinobi who dodged only to run into another Sound ninja. His face cocked to his right side, mouth wrapped up in layers of bandages with very long sleeves. He swung his right arm at Kabuto which had a large metal object on it with a few holes. Kabuto dodged thinking everything was fine but then, his glasses broke. He took them off and examined them when suddenly, he threw up.

"Aw, man he's hurling!" Naruto was yelling again, worried.

"Kabuto?!" Sakura was scared for their hurt friend.

_**Oh crap!**_ Shira didn't expect that to happen.

"Kabuto!! Hey bro!" Naruto ran over to Kabuto.

"Are you alright?" Sakura was at Kabuto's left side.

Kabuto collected himself a little. " . . .yeah . . .I'm alright . . ."

Mayuri was angry. "What a cheep trick!"

"Expect nothing less." Shira was calm but cold.

"Right." Both knew Shira was right.

"Would everybody please just shut up?!" All the proctors of the first exam finally showed their faces in clouds of smoke. Morino Ibiki was the head.

Everyone took their seats as Ibiki explained the rules. "You have one hour starting now!"

Shira thought to herself about what Ibiki had said. _**I get it now! They want us to cheat and not get caught. I hope the others figure this out. Okay, how should I do this? Oh of course!**_

Shira concentrated her chakra to her forehead. A third eye, as beautiful as her others, opened widely. _**Bizengan! The Priestess Eye! **_ Her Kekkei Genkai activated. A Triclops's third eye, she ducked her head down so the proctors couldn't see. _**Okay focus, let my mind open up. **_ Her Kekkei Genkai was different from most. Unless her opponent was very weak-hearted, it wouldn't really be useful in battle. It allowed her to become more spiritual, in a matter of speaking. More accurately, it allows it's user to speak with nature, talk to trees and animals while letting it also calm people. Currently, she was trying to open up her mind so the answers could come to her. _**Got it!**_

"Hey, this chick just fainted!" A boy sitting next to Mayuri was yelling. She'd just fallen to the floor suddenly. Shira and Izonza both knew what was going on.

Izonza rushed to Mayuri's side, frantically giving a proctor the instructions for what to do. "Oh no, not now! Sir, she has these fainting spells often. You need to take her out for some fresh air!"

The proctor did as he was told to do. He scooped Mayuri up in his arms and took her outside. When they reached the balcony she woke and told him to set her down. She stood at the edge for a few minutes. The proctor was getting impatient. "Well, are you better yet?"

Mayuri turned to him. "Not yet." Her voice was emotionless, almost dead. A perfectly polished mirror with silver frames was suspended in front of her, her hands up by its sides. "You still haven't given me the answers to the test yet." Her mirror shone with white light as it activated. A shimmering white object came out of the proctor and went into the mirror. The proctor fell to the ground. Mayuri took out a pencil and a piece of paper from her hair and sat on the ground while her mirror hung above her head. "Now let's see, answer one is . . ."

Mayuri came back with the proctor not far behind her. She took her seat and pulled out the paper again. The proctor took his place back on the wall. The woman next to him was confused. "What took you so long?" He wasn't sure. "I'm not sure. I blacked out and found her shaking me. She said I just suddenly fainted." The woman cocked and eyebrow. "Huh?"

"Woof! Woof! Woof!" A little pooch was on some Konoha shinobi's head, barking softly to his master. "Woo-hoo! Good boy, Akamaru! Next is question number 4 . . ."

Izonza could hear the little dog but more importantly, she could understand him_**. That's right, Akamaru! Keep telling Aunty Izonza the answers you good little pooch!**_

Naruto was freaking out. He hadn't figured out that he was supposed to cheat but very well. Sakura didn't need to figure it out; she was so smart she could figure out the answers all on her own. Sasuke used his Sharingan Copy Eye. Kiba listened to Akamaru. Shino sent out a bee. The girl with the buns, TenTen, adjusted the windows on the skylight above them to show herself and her teammate in green, Rock Lee the answers. The second Hyuga used his Byakugan All-Seeing Eye. Ino waited till Sakura was finished writing so she could use her Shintenshin-no-Jutsu Mind Transfer to posses Sakura. Afterwards, she would posses her two teammates and write the answers for them.

Gaara seemed to take some time but he soon activated his Third Eye. He looked around and selected his target. His first choice was the girl called Shira from before.

While Shira was finishing writing the answers to the ninth question, she felt a strange presence and noticed the sand. She sharply turned to Gaara, showing her angry tsunami-filled eyes. Her gaze was powerful even though she'd used her bangs to hide her Triclops eye sending Gaara's Third Eye back. He was surprised, mystified even. _**How did she do that? **_The thought quickly left his mind as he looked to another sending the fragments of sand the target's way. The target rubbed his sand-filled eyes and Gaara's Third Eye appeared at the target's stomach level and stared at the test before him. Gaara began to write.

Besides the skylight, there were no windows open, yet a slight, soft breeze circled the room with a few leaves ridding it. A second soft breeze blew a male shinobi's pencil off the table as the leaves landed on all the answers. The answers printed on the leaves. When they were done copying, the breeze picked the leaves back up and stopped torturing the poor shinobi who'd been trying to retrieve his pencil. The breeze brought the leave back up between the twins as they copied the answers the leaves had printed.

Another male shinobi felt a horrible gaze on his back. He cautiously and slowly turned to see Kero staring at him. Her gaze was sharp, almost tiger-like, yet cool and cold. The shinobi couldn't look away; he just kept staring into her eyes. Finally, when she was done she let him go by turning to look at her paper. She picked up her pencil and started writing. The shinobi turned around quickly. He was scarred, for his life even. _**Holy crap! What is with that girl?! Those eyes of hers, like staring a tiger right in the face! Its like she could see everything with them, how I felt, what I was thinking, everything!!! **_

_**Done!**_ Shira put her pencil down. _**Now all that's left is this strange question ten. This question will not be provided until forty-five minutes into the exam. At that time, please answer the proctor's question to the best of your ability. How interesting. **_

"Alright! Here it comes. Get ready for the tenth question?" Ibiki stood again before the group. "And before we get to the question itself . . .I'm adding one more new rule."

His speech was disturbed by Kankuro with his scarecrow disguised as a proctor walking in. "Heh . . . looks like you're in luck. The time you've spent playing with dolls hasn't been completely wasted." Kankuro had a disturbed look on his face. "Don't worry about it. Sit down." Kankuro slipped a copy of the answers to Temari.

Ibiki continued, "Let me explain. This rule . . .is absolute."

Kakashi, Isumekey, and two other jonin were in a different room talking. "Wow . . .with our subordinates tied up in exams, we've got time on our hands. It's not like we can go on training missions without them." Kakashi spoke with his usual uncaring and laid-back tone, Isumekey sitting next to him, leaning back with her hands holding her up. She just giggled at Kakashi's comment.

"Don't worry. We'll be busy again before you know it." The second male jonin was facing Kakashi, smoking. "Why?" Kakashi was wide-eyed. "Word is, this year's first chief examination officer is Morino Ibiki."

Kakashi and Isumekey had annoyed "Oh my God." kind of looks. Kakashi spoke first. "That sadist?" Isumekey had her part to say as well. "Why did it have to be Ibiki?"

The second female jonin was confused, "Sadist?"

The second male next to her turned to clear her confusion up. "Kurenai, you're still a newbie to the jonin elite, so you have no way of knowing."

Kurenai turned to him, "Why? What's he like?"

"He's a pro. A pro's pro . . ."

"A pro? At what?"

The male ninja breathed in on his cigarette and let the smoke out with a sigh. "Torture and interrogation! Konoha Black OPS, torture and interrogation corps unit leader, jonin commander, Morino Ibiki!"

Ibiki continued, "First . . . you must choose . . .whether to accept or reject this tenth question!"

Temari made an outburst. "Ch-choose? What happens if someone doesn't accept the question?!"

Ibiki closed his eyes, then sharply opened them. "If you reject the question and don't even try to answer it, you'll lose all points immediately . . . and fail! And both of your teammates will fail right along with you."

Two furious ninja started shouting at the proctor. "Say what?"

"Then why would anyone choose to reject it?"

"Because . . . of the other rule." Despite the shouting, Ibiki was calm. "If you try to answer the question . . .and you get it wrong . . .you will never be permitted to apply for the journeyman ninja exams again. Not ever."

A wave of shock and anger spread over the whole room. One in particular, the Konoha shinobi with the dog on his head had to say something. "You can't be serious. That's ridiculous!!! There are ninja here who've sat for the chunin exams more than once already!! We know there are!"

Ibiki started to chuckle. "Just your rotten luck. I wasn't making the rules in the past years. I am now."

He again restated the fact that people could walk out now and try again but if they got an answer wrong, that wouldn't happen. "Ready? Then let's begin. Those who choose not to accept should raise their hands. Once their number has been confirmed, they will leave the room."

It took a little while, but a few people did get up and quit, followed by their teams. Shira thought it was pathetic_**. Idiots! What kinda shinobi are they if they don't have it in them to take a little risk or two?**_

"Never underestimate me!!! I don't quit, and I won't run!! I'll accept your stupid question!! Even if I risk ending up a rookie for the rest of my life . . . I'll still become Lord Hokage even if I can only make it by pure stubbornness. I don't care!! I'm not afraid of you!!" Naruto had the whole room at his attention.

Shira smiled to herself. _**Such a fool. But he does have true fighting spirit. I'll give him that. **_

"I'll ask you one last time. This is a decision that could affect the rest of your life. Quit now, while you still have the chance." Ibiki stared straight at Naruto seriously.

"I never go back on my word. That's . . .my shinobi way!" Naruto returned Ibiki's stare.

Ibiki scanned the room. No one else was leaving. He turned back to the genin and smiled. "Good call. So, everyone who is still here . . . you've just passed the first exam!!!

Sakura didn't get it. "What do you mean, "passed"? When did that happen? What about the tenth question?!"

Ibiki smiled a big smile. "There is no tenth question . . .beyond the whole "accept or reject" thing."

Temari again started shouting. "Hey! Then why did we suffer through the other nine questions?! That was a total waste of our time!"

Shira looked up at the Sand Ninja above her. "Listen. If your greatest enemy were to rope and chain themselves up with no way to escape and they asked you to kill them, would you ask why?"

Shira gave Temari a cocky look. Temari glared angrily.

Ibiki chuckled a little. "There was no waste. Those questions had a purpose, which they've already served."

Temari was confused, "Such as?"

Ibiki again had a big grin on his face. "Our goal was to test your skills . . .at spying!"

Temari had a "Huh?" expression on her face. " . . .our skills at spying?"

Ibiki explained that the whole purpose was to put the fear in them that if they did anything wrong; their team would fail with them. But also the questions were far too difficult for genin to answer, so chunin were placed in the room for people to cheat off of. Naruto of course had no idea but acted as though he did.

As he continued, Ibiki began to pull off his headband, to reveal what it and the large cloth were hiding. "Because there may be circumstances where being caught in an act of espionage can cost you more than just your life. You pay in ways that can be taken from you little by little, time and time again, when many lives hang in the balance."

Everyone in the room just stared at the large man's head. It was covered in scars and holes. Sasuke was sweating a little. _**Burn scars . . .punctures from where screws were used . . .long slash marks . . .he's been tortured!!**_

The Sound ninja covered in bandages, on the other hand, was wide-eyed with excitement. _**Cool . . .I bet his hands are even worse! But that's what he gets for being dumb enough to get captured. It'll never happen to me!**_

Gaara had nothing to say or think. He just sat there.

Shira, Mayuri, and Izonza didn't have much to say or think either, but the same thing did finally ring threw all their minds at the same time. _**Damn!!!**_

Ibiki put his headband back on hiding his scares again. He continued to explain that information is often gathered by spying or in secret but if the enemy knows that it is being stolen, it'll only endanger themselves and others.

Temari was calmer now but still was asking questions. "Okay . . .but what was the deal with the tenth question?"

Again, Ibiki tugged on his headband and faceted it tightly yet comfortably on his head with a "yank" and smiled. "Ah! The tenth question . . .was the first real test on the exam."

Sakura was quiet at first, and then spoke. "What on earth do you mean?"

"Let me explain . . .the tenth question . . .was a choice between two options . . .that were both difficult and dangerous. Those who chose to reject were failed, and their friends along with them. Those who chose to accept and couldn't answer the question . . .lost any chance of ever even trying again. It was a nasty, unfair, no-win set of options."

He then explained that if they did reach the rank of chunin and were asked to steal an enemy document but knew there were many several dangers to face. No chunin could refuse a mission just because they were afraid for their lives or for their comrades.

"Those who can't gamble with their own fate . . .who would trade today's certain risk for tomorrow's uncertain future . . .never taking the chances that lies before them . . .are weaklings who make only weak and easy decisions. In my opinion, they don't belong in the ranks of the chunin at all!"

Shira smiled, _**I like this guy. He knows what he's talking about!**_

Suddenly, a black object broke threw a window. Two kunai knives came out and stabbed the ceiling. The black object opened up to revile a woman inside. As she stopped rolling, the black object she was in flattened to show a big sign that said "Newly Arrived Second Chief Examination Officer Mitarashi Anko"

The woman was tall, her long black hair put in a bun with the ends sticking out mostly on her right side. Her headband on her forehead but mostly covered by her long bangs. She wore the fishnet undergarment that most ninja wore, a mini-skirt, the normal sandals, with a large overcoat. "None of you are in any position to celebrate. I am the second chief examination officer . . . Mitarashi Anko! Times a-wastin', people. Let's go!! Follow Me!!!"

The room was silent, no one moved as they stared at this crazy examination officer. Ibiki had been hidden behind her big sign but now was peeking around it. "Can't you sense the mood in here?" Anko was embarrassed.

Sakura was annoyed. "This new officer almost reminds me . . .of Naruto."

Anko was quietly scanning the room. "Seventy-eight of you are still here?!" She looked at Ibiki a little angry. "Ibiki! You passed twenty-six teams?! Obviously you went too easy on them."

Ibiki cocked a crooked smile. "This year . . .we have applicants of exceptional caliber."

Anko looked back at the genin. "Yeah, right. I'll cut down the number by half before the next test is done." She narrowed her eyebrows and showed and evil, devious, smile. "Ooh! I get charged up just thinking about it! I'll explain things in detail as soon as we move to our next location so follow me!!"

The group followed Anko deep into the woods until they came to a large forest fenced off. "This is the arena for the second exam: training ground 44. Also known as . . .the Forest Of Death!!"

Shira and her team looked on at the forest with excitement, not for the next exam, but at the forest itself. Izonza had her hands placed together in prayer form. "OMG look at this place. It's so alive!"

Shira took at step forward. "Oh I know! Look at that tree there!" She pointed to the very large one in front of them. "Look how big it is. I bet it's seen a lot in its lifetime. What a wonderful tree it must be!"

Mayuri put her nose to the air and breathed in. "Smell that?! All that life in there?! What a fine forest! I can't wait to get in there!"

Suddenly, a kunai knife flew by with a trace of blood in it. They looked to see that Anko had thrown it and had cut the fool Naruto's left cheek. She ran and brushed behind him, her hands on his shoulders and her face to his. "Heh. Your kind are always the first to go." She stuck her tongue out and put it to his cheek, licking the blood dripping down his face. "Spilling all that rich, red, lovely, luscious blood . . ."

She stopped for a moment and pulled out a kunai knife. She turned to see a Grass ninja holding out the knife Anko had thrown earlier in her extremely long tongue. "Your kunai knife . . .I believe you dropped it."

Anko seemed a little disgusted. "Gee . . .thanks.

Anko took the knife from the grass ninja, the two glared at each other. Finally Anko spoke, "Don't just stand behind me . . .Radiating Bloodlust . . .unless you're in a hurry to die."

The grass ninja backed up, "I'll try to keep it under control . . .but the sight of warm fresh blood really makes me crazy . . .and I was already revved up . . .from losing a strand of my precious hair."

Shira looked down. A long strand of black hair was lying by where the grass ninja had been standing, cut by the knife.

Izonza was all excited, "What a crazy bitch for an examiner. I think I'm really gonna like this Anko!"

Shira and Mayuri giggled. They both knew that if Izonza got someone's name correct right off the bat, she really liked them.

Anko started pulling something out from her overcoat. "Before we begin the second exam . . .there's something I have to hand out." She pulled out a large stack of papers, at the top in bold letters, it said, "CONSENT FORM"

The genin were confused. Anko continued. "They're consent forms. Everybody has to sign one."

Naruto was still next to her. "Why?"

Anko smiled a huge, pretty smile. "We want all the details covered before the first deaths occur. Sign before you go in, so we can't be held liable. You wouldn't want me to get in trouble, would you? ­♥ First, I'll explain what the second exam entails. Then you can sign the forms. With the other two members of your cell, bring the forms to the hut behind you and submit them. Got that?"

She started passing out the forms, "Now about the exam. To put it simply. . . it's a no-holds-barred survival test. Let's start with the topography of this training ground. I'll explain the rest later. Training ground #44 . . .is bordered by a circular perimeter, interrupted at regular intervals by forty-four locked gates. There are forests and a river . . .and in the center is a tower . . .about ten kilometers from those gates. Within the confines of this carefully delineated area, you're going to undergo a survival test. During the course of that test, you may use any ninja arts or weapons you have at your disposal"

She pulled out a white scroll, "It's a kind of fight-to-the-death version . . .of "Capture the Flag" . . .or, in this case, "Capture the Scroll." There's a "Scroll of Heaven" and a "Scroll of Earth" . . .and your objective is to acquire both scrolls. There are seventy-eight of you here. Thirteen teams will start out with a Heaven Scroll . . . and the other thirteen will start with an Earth Scroll. But you'll need both scrolls to pass. So your objective is to hold on to your own scroll, get you hands on one of the other kind . . .and then bring them both . . .to the tower at the center."

Shira and her team had heard all then needed to hear. They grouped together in a huddle. Shira was in the front, "Okay, Ladies, how do you wanna do this?"

Mayuri was on Shira's right. "We need to be prepared when we go in there, that's for sure. We should try to get this over with quickly."

Izonza was on Shira's left. "But not too quickly. Let's enjoy the forest a little bit."

Mayuri nodded, "How about this? See the hut, there's a black cretin. They're probably gonna cover the place up so we don't see who has what. I suggest I do my thing and watch to see the first person who gets the opposite scroll as us."

Shira and Izonza smiled an evil smile and nodded in approval "We love it!"

Anko was still talking. She'd had to answer a few stupid and annoying questions so her explanation ended up being longer. "Now let's talk about the rules . . .and what offences you can be disqualified for! Obviously, the teams that fail to reach the tower in time—as a three-member cell, carrying both a Heaven and an Earth scroll—are out. So is any team that loses a member whether to death or to severe injury. And under no circumstances . . .can you leave the forest before the time is up. No recess. No time-outs. Also . . . you're forbidden to look at the contents of the scrolls until you're inside the tower!"

Izonza balled her hands into fists, "Don't open the scrolls, got it!"

Shira and Mayuri looked at her annoyed. Izonza looked at them confused, "What?!"

"We heard her two you know, Izonza." Mayuri sounded almost dead.

Anko looked up at the genin. "One final piece of advice . . .stay alive!

Shira and her team walked out of the hut with a Heaven Scroll. Mayuri stayed behind and disappeared in the darkness. She waited only for a short time until she saw the next group with an Earth Scroll. It was a Waterfall cell. Mayuri backed off and returned to her group. "A group of Waterfall Ninja have an Earth scroll. We should follow them."

Shira and her team watched as the Waterfall group came out of the tent. They were registered the 4th gate. Shira and her team stationed at the 5th. It couldn't have been more perfect.

The boy with the dog and his team, Kiba, a shy girl with bluish purplish hair and white eyes, Hinata, and another guy, covered from head to toe with only his upper face showing with black, round glasses, Shino, were assigned the 16th gate. Kiba looked at Hinata. "WOOHOO! If its survival skills they want, we've got it made! Don't you go soft on us, Hinata!" Hinata looked a little worried but sad.

A guy with black hair pulled back into a high ponytail, Shikamaru, the beauty-queen with her long flowing hair, Ino, and a little, short, fat porker, Choji, were assigned the 27th gate. Shikamaru had a devious look on his face. _**A fight to the death? What a nuisance . . .but if it's the only way . . .looks like Naruto's out target.**_

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were assigned the 12th gate. Naruto was flexing his muscles. "Yeah! Yeah! We can't lose I tell ya!! Anyone comes near us, I'll kill 'em myself!

The first Sound ninja team was assigned the 20th gate. The one wrapped up was working everything out in his head. _**Heh, heh . . .the time has finally come . . .to carry out our orders in the open. **_

The second Sound team was assigned the 32nd gate.

Kabuto's team was assigned the 38th gate.

Kero, Hyosue and Hyoue were assigned the 35th gate. The twins were talking amongst themselves. "Okay, Hyosue, how do you wanna do this?"

"Well I was thinking . . . Kero, you know you should be talking with us to-" The twins turned around and saw Kero on the ground sleeping. Hyosue was shocked but tried to stay calm. "Kero, this isn't any time to be sleeping!"

Hyoue on the other hand was pissed. "Damnit, Kero! I told you not to stay up so late!!!"

Hyosue was, for the most part, speechless. "She is the strangest girl I've ever met."

Anko happened by to make sure everyone had their first scroll and saw Kero laying on the ground with her twin teammates over her. There were many things that could've been said in that situation but Anko could only think of one. She seemed angry, "Was she sleeping threw my whole explanation?!!!"

Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro were assigned the 6th gate. Kankuro just glared at Gaara. _**I've got to look out for enemy teams . . .five days in the forest with that creepy Gaara . . . ARRRGH!**_

The cell of Grass ninja were assigned the 15th gate talking amongst themselves. "Target the rookies first." The one with the tag "evil" sat on the balls on his feet.

"It looks like we've got carte blanche to pick them off from here on in . . . which should make our job a lot easier." The longhaired woman from before tipped her straw hat.

The second Hyuga, Neji, the guy in the green bodysuit, Rock Lee, and the pretty thing with twin buns, TenTen were assigned the 41st gate. Rock Lee looked determined. _**Master Guy, I will do my best!**_

Anko looked at her watch. It was time. "Part two of the journeyman ninja selection exam begins . . .NOW!!"


	5. Chapter 5

"OMG! This is great!!!" Izonza was spinning around as she jumped, trying to soak her surroundings in.

"Oh I know. And look at these trees! So big and sturdy. Healthy too. This place is perfectly untouched!" Shira was doing the same as Izonza, just not spinning, she had a feeling sooner or latter Izonza was going to fall.

"Of course, it's not as good as back home, right?!" Mayuri was also basking in the huge green forest.

"Of course not! It is beautiful here but it's nothing like home. Nowhere near home!" Shira remembered the beautiful forests covering her island home. The only part without forest was her village so there was plenty to remember.

"I hear y—AAAAAAHHHHHH"

Shira and Mayuri watched their friend fall just like Shira thought. They screamed to her as she fell. "Izonza!!!

Izonza hit the ground with a loud thud. She lay there for a few seconds as her two friends jumped down to her. She sat up as they came to her side asking her over and over again if she was okay. "I'm okay."

Shira shook her head. "I knew you were going to fall."

Mayuri sat back and closed her eyes. "I could've told you that. I figured the same thing."

Shira and Mayuri started laughing as Izonza tried to get up but fell right back down. "Okay, okay, I get it, I'm hilarious. Now shut the hell up and give me a hand, damnit!"

The two helped their clumsy friend up and with a few slow steps, she quickly regained her footing and was jumping fine again in no time.

"We should hurry up and take those Taki ninja out before we loose them." Shira was ahead of her two teammates.

"Or they get their asses kicked by somebody else, eh?" Izonza laughed a little at her joke.

"We could also do a little more sight-seeing as well." Mayuri insistently stayed by Izonza side even though Izonza told her not to.

The three ladies caught wind of the Waterfall team, following them deeper into the forest. Even though Getsuei was a Water Country, the residents had common knowledge of the forest and moving around it, unlike the Taki cell. Shira and her team tried to hold back their laughter as they watched the Waterfall cell awkwardly maneuver in the forest. They soon made their way to a small clearing and decided to attack. Each jumped for the three men, each landing punches knocking all three down. The leader was dumbfounded, "What the hell you crazy bitches! We've only been in here for half an hour if that!"

Izonza smiled her cocky feminine smile. "All's fair in love and war!"

The leader stood up, quickly followed by his two teammates. "Well, if it's a fight you want, it's a fight you get!" The leader pulled out a deck of cards.

"So who wants this one?" Mayuri wasn't interested in fighting the weakling; it was obvious by the tone in her voice. Mayuri wasn't as physically strong as Shira and Izonza but it had been so easy to punch them.

"Not me." Izonza felt the same way as Mayuri. These three were obviously weak. They were wide open for an attack at the time.

Shira didn't want to fight them either. Their stances at the time were an obvious indication among many others that gave it away. The leader's stance was a sorry attempt and excuse for throwing something. His left leg which was facing them was straight like if someone were to stand normally but his right, further behind him, was back like he was trying to do the splits. _**How the hell did he get out of the academy? He's pathetic!**_ But someone had to take them on. "Fine I'll do it. Back up girls."

"This is your lucky day, Girly. You will leave the Forest of Death and have the privilege of saying you were beaten by my great—"

"You talk too much." Shira had run in front of him. She was in his face with a bald-up fist at her side. With a swift and powerful punch, she knocked the man back, far.

He was angry, "What was that for. I wasn't ready yet!"

Shira shifted her weight to her side and put her hand on her hip. "A ninja should always be ready for an attack. Besides if you're going to kill someone, kill them, don't stand there talking about it!"

He stood back up, returning to his imperfect stance holding a deck of cards. "Fine, then let's go!"

Shira stood nonchalantly yet never dropping her guard, never taking her eyes off the Waterfall ninja.

"Sui Ka-do! Acid Cards!" He threw one of the cards from the top of the deck at her. She easily dodged it.

_**H-How did she dodge that? No one has ever been able to dodge that!**_ He threw three more cards. Shira again easily dodged all three.

Shira turned around to look at the cards. They had all liquefied and melted the surrounding area they had touched. _**Acid.**_ "I've seen this technique before. The cards are like letter bombs only instead of exploding, the cards turn to acid. Of course when I saw it, it was demonstrated far better than you have."

"Why you little—You may be super fast but that won't help you if there's nowhere to run!" He put all the cards in his throwing hand. "Takisui Ka-do! Waterfall of Acid Cards!"

The cards were falling right on top of Shira, indeed like a waterfall. When the smoke cleared, made from the melting earth, Shira wasn't there. "Impossible! How in the world could she have dodged that?! No matter how fast she is!!"

"You're wide open!" He looked up to see Shira in the air on his left side, her leg heading for him. Her powerful kick broke his neck and sent him flying. The other two were scared. One dug threw his clothes and pulled out an Earth scroll. "Here, take it!" He threw the scroll to Shira who caught it but didn't stop walking toward them. "We gave you the scroll; now please just leave us alone!"

"Stop begging for mercy you pathetic excuses of a man and die with honor!" Shira ran to the one groveling for his life, throwing a swift uppercut to his face sending him flying. He wouldn't get up. Shira turned to the third, putting her right fist into her left hand, shoving her right elbow into his stomach. He coughed up blood and fell the ground.

Her work was done.

Izonza and Mayuri ran over to her. Mayuri went to inspect the fallen two. They had all heard the leader's neck break. "Well, are they dead?"

Mayuri went for the last Shira had knocked down first since he was closer. She checked his pulse by his neck then moved on to the next one and did the same. "Yeah. All three of them."

"I had to kill them. They disserved it." Shira closed her eyes and crossed her arms.

"No one's blaming you, Shira. You're right. You know we would've done the same." Izonza put her hands on her hips.

"Just felt like I had to say it. They were so pathetic. Begging for their lives like that. They were terrible ninja anyway."

Mayuri crossed in front of Shira. "I hope in the next life they're better people. You have the Earth scroll, right. Let me hang on to it. It'll be better if one person doesn't hold both."

Shira nodded and gave Mayuri the Earth scroll she'd been thrown. "Let's go."

They started to walk when Izonza suddenly stopped. "Wait. Hold up!"

"What is it?" Shira soon followed by Mayuri, stopped to see what Izonza wanted.

"Just wait a minute. You'll smell it in a second!" All three of them had exceptional mastery of their senses but Izonza was by far the best. She was right. The sickly smell soon came to their noses.

Shira put her nose to the air. "Smells like—"

"Blood!" Mayuri cut her off.

Izonza stared in the opposite direction as they were headed. "Yeah. Blood. And it's not fresh either. This stuff isn't rotten but it's still old. That's why it smells bad!"

Shira looked to Izonza who was facing the smell, completely turned away from them. "So it's not clumped together, it's just fragments of it?"

Izonza's eyebrows were narrowed, she looked a little disturbed. "Yeah but kept in one place."

Mayuri started walking in the direction of the smell. "We should check this out, yes?"

"Yes, let's!" Izonza jumped into a tree and headed in the direction of the sickly smell. They used all of their great speed and quickly found the source. The three Suna ninja they'd met before were in a battle with three Rain ninja, the attack lead by the shortest of the Sand ninja with the gourd on his back, Gaara. Sand was leaking out of his gourd. Some had incased him and looked hardened but now it was melting, returning to the soft sand like you'd find at a beach. To the normal untrained eye, it would look like normal sand, but Shira and her team noticed tiny little fragments in it. They moved one tree closer to get a better look. There were maroon red particles swirling with the sand. It was blood. The team was quiet but they all looked at each other wide-eyed. They could all see it. They exchanged glanced which got their message across to each other just fine without speaking. They all stayed in the tree to watch what would happen.

"A wall of sand . . .?" The Rain ninja was dumbfounded.

Kankuro was calm. "Exactly. Infinitely malleable . . .an impenetrable defense!! Only Gaara has ever mastered the art. He draws the sand within the sphere of his own massive chakra . . .then manipulates it into the shape he needs and renders it utterly solid. Even more remarkably, it is done with no conscious effort on his part. It happens when he needs it to . . .independent of his will. Any frontal assault on Gaara . . .is doomed to fail!"

The Rain ninja still couldn't believe it, "N-No . . . way . . .those needles should be able to pierce even a five-millimeter thickness of tempered steel!"

All the sand around Gaara had fallen to his feat. Kankuro watched from behind. "You're not good enough to touch our Gaara."

The Rain ninja had an angry, hurt look on his face as he ran for Gaara. "Shut up, you--!!!

_**So that's how he never had a scratch on him after his missions! Wow! **_Shira's eyes were glued to the fight. Nothing would let her look away.

Gaara put his hands together forming the Tori, Bird. He broke the sign and extended his right arm out. "Sabakukyu! The Coffin of Crushing Sand!" The sand at his feet reached out for the Ame ninja and wrapped him up in layers and layers of sand.

Temari watched from the sidelines along with Kankuro. "As you see, Gaara has total mastery . . .over the sand on the ground . . .and in the air as well . . ."

The Ame shinobi tried to struggle but his movements were very limited. "I can free myself . . .e-easily . . ." The sand tightened around him, "AUGH!!"

Gaara picked up one of the umbrellas off the ground the Ame dropped from his attack "If you don't stop yapping, I'll seal your lips . . .and cut off your air. But you're hardly worth it." He brought the umbrella above his head and rose his hand slowly up. The ninja trapped in the sand rose with Gaara's hand. With eyes narrowed he clenched his fist tightly. "Sabakusoso! Imploding Sand Funeral!" The sand imploded on the ninja as blood squirted out spraying and falling everywhere like rain.

Gaara had the umbrella to catch all the blood. "It's quick . . .and painless. I used far more force than was necessary to ensure that. Bitter crimson tears flow from lifeless eyes and mingle with the endless sands . . .bestowing ever greater power upon the demon god." Shira understood now. _**So that's why the sand stinks of blood! It's covered in it from his previous kills!**_

The shortest of the Ame pulled out a Heaven scroll and put it on the ground before them. He backed up slowly, "Here . . .take the scroll . . .please just let us go!"

Both Gaara's arms extended before him. The sand wrapped around the remaining two. They screamed for their lives. Temari smiled a big pretty smile and waved good-bye, "Bye-bye!"

The ninja were crying. Gaara clenched his fists tightly and the sand imploded again spraying blood everywhere killing the two inside.

Shira, Mayuri, and Izonza were still glued to the fight. It was amazing. They'd never seen or even heard of such a technique before. They didn't like the Suna but the boy, Gaara was worthy to mention. Shira was wide-eyes as the others were. "Wow! What a way to kill someone!"

Mayuri moved a little and readjusted herself on the branch of the tree. "They disserved it. Groveling for their lives like that."

Izonza sat up. "I guess that explains the whole thing with the blood?"

Kankuro picked up the Heaven scroll off the ground. "Lucky us . . .we needed the Heaven scroll. Now we can head straight for the tower. _**The sooner we're out of this forest, the better! **_

Gaara cocked his head slightly to the side to look at Kankuro. "Not yet!"

Kankuro looked frightened. Gaara completely turned his head to his teammate with wide eyes. "No . . .I still haven't been sated."

_**What is he talking about? There's no way he could've seen us all the way up here. Huh?! **_Shira looked and saw a team of Konoha shinobi watching the fight from the bushes.

Kiba, Hinata, and Shino had seen the whole thing and were trying to run away but had heard Gaara and couldn't move. Kiba was scared. _**Aw, man! Does he know we're here?!**_

Shira looked worried. _**Shit! I was so into the fight, I didn't even notice those three there! Does he really mean to kill them?!**_

Kankuro cocked his head to the side, trying to talk some sense into his teammate, smiling. "Come on, Gaara . . .Let's go."

Gaara glared at Kankuro. "Are you frightened . . .? Coward!"

Kankuro narrowed his eyes. "Gaara! Maybe you'll be fine, but . . .Temari and I can't afford to take chances! One set of scrolls is all we need. We're done."

Gaara put his hand out as he had done before. "Fool . . .I don't take orders from you."

Kankuro flinched. Temari was speechless but obviously worried. Kankuro grabbed hold of Gaara's white sash, "That's enough! Just for once, Gaara . . . listen to what your big brother tells you!"

"I've never thought of either of you as my siblings. Cross me, and I'll kill you."

Kankuro flinched again. He knew Gaara was telling the truth. He had no problem killing anyone, not even his older brother. Gaara punched Kankuro off of him, forcing him to let go of his sash.

Temari closed her eyes and forced a smile, reassuringly putting both her hands up. "C-Come on, Gaara! Please . . .don't be so cruel. Aren't I like a sister to you? I'm begging . . ."

Gaara looked to the bushes, sending the fragments of sand to swirl around Kiba, Hinata, and Shino who were scared for their lives. Gaara was about to clench his fist, "Gaara!" Temari dropped her smile, she was serious. Gaara clenched his fist, but when he opened it, the cork for his gourd was in the palm of his hand. "Okay . . .fine."

Gaara put the cork over his gourd and started off, soon followed by his brother and sister. Shira and her team on the other hand didn't know how to react. Only a moment ago had they been praising this Gaara, but now, they didn't know what to think. None of them liked what they saw but why they saw it, they didn't know. They looked at each other and nodded. No one wanted to talk about it. They just got up and started for the tower.

"Damnit! How long do I have to carry her?!" Hyoue had Kero on his back, still sleeping.

"Until she wakes up. You know the drill, Hyoue." Hyosue was ahead as they raced through the forest.

"Damnit! Such a pain in the ass!" Kero stirred in her sleep, "Sure Mr. I'll eat all that food for you!"

Hyoue was annoyed. "God Damnit! Awake or asleep, food is all she thinks about! Can we stop for a bit? She's starting to slip a little." Hyoue and Hyosue stopped in a clearing to resituate Kero when a shuriken whizzed by. The twins dodged it but got on alert. The Take cell that had insulted them before appeared to fight.

The Take ninja started laughing. "What a bunch of losers! It'll be fun to tell everyone back home that we got to kill you three while becoming chunin!"

The Take threw several shuriken at them in formation. Hyoue was freaking out with Kero in his arms, still sleeping. "Hyosue, you gotta plan yet?!"

The two were dodging the shuriken formations. "I'm working on it but I don't know what to do about her." Hyosue pointed to Kero.

Hyoue put her over to the side. "We'll leave her here and just make sure no one gets near her."

Hyosue wanted to argue but he didn't have time. They jumped away and circled around the area following the usual pattern. Hyoue would be the distraction while Hyosue observed and thought of a plan. Hyoue was dodging perfectly until he looked over to where he'd put Kero, but she wasn't there. He was distracted. _**What they hell?! Where is she?! **_

"Hyoue, look out!" Hyoue heard his brother call to him, but a little too late. A shuriken grazed his arm. He grunted in pain. _**Damnit! **_

"What is your problem, Hyoue?!" Hyoue jumped over to his older brother's side. He wanted to argue with his brother, but knew he needed to concentrate.

The Bamboo ninja pulled out another batch of shuriken. "Time for the kill!"

"You call that a way to throw a shuriken?!" The twins looked behind the Take cell and saw a long white-haired girl standing behind them. "Kero!!!"

The Take team turned around and saw Kero standing behind them with a cocky smile and her hands on her hips. "What did you say to me to freakin' lunatic?!"

Kero pulled two shuriken out from her pouch holding one in each hand. "I'll show you how to throw a shuriken." She spun the blades in her hands as she started in a run toward the Bamboo group. Before she reached them, she jumped up, front flip immediately followed by a spin, flew over their heads, faced them and through her two shuriken in the necks of the Take on the side of the leader, killing them instantly. She landed in front of the twins.

The remaining Take, the one who Kero had grabbed and thrown, was scarred; he was shaking, but trying to hide it with his anger. "Why you . . .you little bitch! How dare you—" He stopped suddenly, he noticed the twins were no longer behind the girl. _**Where are the twin monsters? **_

"We told you to never call her a bitch again!" He could feel the cold steel against both sides of his neck and from the corner of his eye; he could see the hands that were holding them. He tried to reach for a knife secretly but it caught the twins eyes as they pulled their knives threw his soft neck, spilling blood in all directions.

The three searched the Take's clothes until they found the Heaven scroll they needed. With it safely tucked away, they started off for the tower.

Shira and her team could see the tower in sight. They jumped down to the front door but were not alone. At the same time, Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro along with Kero, Hyosue, and Hyoue jumped down to the door at the same time. The three teams stared at each other, a bird's-eye-view would've shown the three standing in the shape of a triangle. No one made a move. Finally, after what seemed like hours of staring, the three teams started for the door. Shira, Kero, and Temari grabbed the handle and pulled the door open, letting their teams in first, then walked in at the same time, quickly followed by the door closing. The three teams looked at each other one last time, and then went their separate ways.

"If qualities of Heaven are your desire, Acquire wisdom and knowledge to take your mind higher. If Earthly qualities are what you lack, Train your body in the fields and prepare to attack. When both Heaven and Earth are opened together, The path of peril will revert to the righteous path forever. This " BLANK" is the secret way . . .that guides us on from this place today." The three read the message from the Third Hokage in unison.

"Interesting. But I'm not quite sure what it means. Something with the scrolls obviously but I think it has something to do with us as well. Am I right?" Izonza turned to Shira.

"Yeah I hear ya. Something with how we are to become better in our shinobi ways." Shira nodded to Izonza.

"Yes, Shira, you're right. Heaven refers to our minds while Earth refers to our bodies. The first part means that if we need to become smarter, we must study hard to train our minds. But the second means that if are weak points are our strength; we must train hard to become physically stronger. But when both are achieved, we will become a true ninja and no mission will ever be difficult. And the "BLANK" is basically a word, we believe, that describes a chunin ninja."

"Wow, Mayuri, you are smart!" Izonza was smiling.

"I see now, that does make sense." Shira was staring at the message, her hand to her chin nodding.

"Well, I think we have achieved both Heaven and Earth qualities, don't you think Ladies?" Izonza clenched her fist, shaking it powerfully in the air.

"Maybe Mayuri and I do, but you Izonza aren't anywhere close." Shira and Mayuri started to laugh.

"What you want somma this, eh?!" Izonza shook her fists angrily at her teammates.

"Anyway, now that we're at the tower, we should open the scrolls and see what they say." Mayuri pulled the Earth scroll out from her thick black hair. Shira pulled the Heaven scroll out from her overcoat. The two opened the scrolls to find a large character for "humanity" or "mankind" in the center of both. From the sudden exposure to the air, the characters started to smoke. Shira and Mayuri threw the scrolls down as they released more and more smoke.

When they stopped and the smoke began to clear, Isumekey was in the middle of it. "Hey, Ladies!"

"Izumalli!" Izonza was very excited.

"It's Isumekey! Isumekey damnit!" She was right in Izonza's face waving her arms in the air. Izonza just smiled. "Okay."

"Good. Get it right from now on. Now, I hope you three figured that message out." She pointed behind her at the large scroll on the wall from the Third Hokage.

Shira nodded, "Yeah we figured it out."

Isumekey was serious, "Good, very good.

Shira could tell Isumekey wanted to ask something but felt that she should. "What is it Isumekey?"

"Well, its just . . .how did you do it?"

"How did we do what?"

"How did you get here after only 97 minutes! No ones ever completed the second exam so quickly! You three have beaten the old record by over four hours! It's just not possible!" Isumekey was frantic.

Izonza was surprised that it had taken that long at the very least for the others. "You know, there were two other teams that got here the same time we did."

Isumekey was wide-eyed. "You serious?" She just stared at them for a moment but quickly forgot her distress as a sly smile crept across her face. "Well, anyway, I'm glad that I found myself a strong team. That'll teach those idiotic academy people not to even consider leaving me out next time! Keep up the good work girls. I'm proud of you three. We all should spare sometime."

Shira smiled, "Sounds like fun."

Isumekey turned around and started jumping up and down excited. "Now, where is my precious Kakashi? Kakashi! Kakashi! Kakashi!"

Shira had had something on her mind for a while now, but until now, it hadn't been bothering her so. "Listen, Isumekey? This Kakashi you're always talking about? He would happen to be Hatake Kakashi, Copy Ninja Kakashi, Sharingan Kakashi; he's in the Bingo Book?"

Isumekey stopped her excited jumping, slowly turning to the silver-haired genin with a confused look. "Yes . . . that's him . . .but how would you know he's in the Bingo Book?"

Shira turned away from the jonin. "We found out, from someone we knew." Mayuri and Izonza looked away as well.

Isumekey kept her serious mood and turned away from the three girls taking a few steps forward. "Well you know, they had to reprint the Bingo Book recently. They needed to write under Kakashi's name that he killed Momochi Zabuza."

_**What did she just say?!**_ Shira was shocked, surprised, angry, but tried to keep it under control. "Kakashi . . . that idiotic blond . . .that stuck up Uchiha . . .and that pink-haired chick . . .they killed Zabuza?!"

"Yes. They killed him." _**Why is she so upset?**_ Isumekey walked over to Shira and put her hands on her shoulders, shaking her lightly. "What is wrong with you?"

Shira realized that she'd been yelling, so she calmed down. "Nothing. It's just . . .I heard how great Zabuza was, I was surprised, that's all."

Isumekey was convinced, she let Shira go and smiled. "Okay! Now where's my beloved darling, Kakashi?! Oh right, you three are days early and you can't leave. I suggest that you find something to pass the time. Play Rock, Paper, Scissors or something. Bye-bye!"

Isumekey vanished in a whirlwind of leaves, but they weren't the only things spinning. Shira's mind was running with questions and emotions. She needed to speak with the three genin in Kakashi's cell and soon. She prayed to the Water and Moon Spirit that the three would pass.

At the tower, in one of the rooms, Anko and two Black OPS were arguing. "What happened is a disaster . . . but the exam must go on!!"

The skinnier of the two Black OPS, despite having his face covered up by his mask, was annoyed. "Why?!"

"Thank goodness you're here, Anko! There is something I must tell you right away . . ." A shinobi with a small beard stormed inside the room.

Anko was angry from what had been happening the past day, not to mention her pain from the curse mark and she didn't need anything else to worry about. "Now what?! We're right in the middle of something vital!"

"Observe!!" He pulled out a VHS and walked to the TV slipping the tape into the VCR. The Black OPS seemed interested. "Video surveillance, eh?"

"Right there . . .notice the time and date stamp . . ." The shinobi pointed to the top right-hand corner of the TV frantically.

Anko saw what he was pointing at, she started to sweat. "That looks like . . ."

"It is. It was shot from the interior of the tower . . .a mere hour and 37 minutes after the second exam began!" The time at the right-hand corner the shinobi was pointing at read 16:09. "The three ninja from the Land of Sand, Land of the Moon, and one group from here . . . have already completed the second exam." The screen showed Gaara staring at the camera, followed by Shira and then Kero. All three glared at the camera, coldly.

Anko was wide-eyed, scarred, sweating, and at first, speechless, "It's not possible."

The shinobi wasn't that freaked, just slightly disturbed, "In just 97 minutes . . .this is unprecedented! Unheard of! Those three have far exceeded the skills of mere genin junior ninja! They've beaten the previous record by four hours!"

Anko had calmed down but seemed emotionless, "It's more than that . . ."

The shinobi was confused, "What do you mean?"

Anko turned away and stated toward the large windows, "It's roughly 10km from the gates where the students began the exam to this tower . . . their path filled with hazardous terrain, poison insects, savage beasts . . .and they've strolled through it like it was a day at the beach! Especially this red-haired boy with the tattoo and those two white-haired girls . . ."

"What about them . . .?"

"Don't you see it?"

" . . .huh?"

The Black OPS stared at the screen trying to figure out what Anko had. "Oh, I get it! That's amazing!"

The shinobi leaned in closer and closer, "What are you going on about?"

"Look at their clothes . . .their body . . ."

He looked for a moment more, "Oh . . .!

Anko was facing the window but slightly turned her head so she could see him out of the corner of her eyes. "There's not a mark on them anywhere . . .and not so much as a smudge on their clothes!"

The shinobi smiled. _**Even for me . . .or for any other journeyman-level ninja . . .a feat like that, would be impossible!**_

The skinnier black OPS crossed his arms. "This must have to do with their innate talents! It's been a while since we've seen such promising candidates. But they've got nasty looks in their eyes . . ."

Only hours had passed and Shira, Mayuri, and Izonza were, as you say, "Bored out of their skulls". Izonza finally stood up suddenly, "Ahhh! I can't take this anymore! I'm so freakin' bored!"

Shira pulled off one of her shoes and through it at Izonza's head. "Shut up, Izonza! We're bored too!"

Mayuri as usual, stayed as calm as possible and knowledgeable. "Why don't we just sleep it off?"

Shira and Izonza looked to Mayuri, "Okay."

Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro were walking down the halls out of boredom when they saw the three Getsuei Kunoichi sleeping. Temari looked at them like they were idiots. "Look at those three, sleeping like that! What common trash!"

Gaara thought how idiotic his sister was, "They're not sleeping."

Temari and Kankuro looked at each other confused but just forgot it. Gaara was right. The three weren't technically sleeping. Izonza was curled up in a ball, hibernating. Shira was sitting up with her legs crossed in a meditated sleep. While Mayuri, had her mirror hidden behind her back with her soul inside.

Shira had opened her senses so that as soon as Kakashi's cell walked inside, she would be awakened and would wake up her team to interrogate the three liars.


	6. Chapter 6

"The day I got the Konoha graduation headband . . .I stopped being a student!! No need to worry about me!! It's proof of my maturity and I got it from you, Master Iruka!! My temper hasn't changed any, and I may be impulsive and full of energy . . .but I'm not a kid!! I'm . . .a full-fledged shinobi! You got that?!" Naruto stood proudly before his old teacher, boasting that Iruka had nothing to worry about over the upcoming challenges of the chunin exam. Iruka smiled and thought to himself that Kakashi had been right about the three of them after all. Iruka left and the three genin started on their way.

"You three! Stop right there!" Shira, Mayuri, and Izonza were standing on the balcony of the arena they were in. Anger burned deep inside all their eyes as they stared the three Konoha genin down. The three vanished for a moment, only to reaper a second later in front of Naruto and his team. Each swung a fist, Shira at Naruto, Mayuri at Sakura, and Izonza at Sasuke. Each landed their punch sending all three of the Konoha ninja back.

Naruto, still having much of his energy left, got up quickly after the punch and was, in a word, pissed off! "What the hell is your problem?!"

All three Konoha shinobi were astounded. _**Damn! They're fast!! **_

"You wretched, despicable, lying bastards! How dare pathetic weaklings like you take credit for Momochi Zabuza's death?!" Shira was burring with anger at the three. There was no way that these three could've possible beaten the great Momochi Zabuza. These three, true be told, were obviously tired and almost out of chakra, but they could've at least tried to dodge or something, but they just sat there and took the hits.

Naruto didn't know how these three knew about their old mission, or Zabuza himself but what he did know was that Zabuza meant something to these girls. "We did fight him, but we didn't kill him!"

Sakura had to step in. She knew Naruto would only make things worse. "He was hired to kill someone we were protecting!"

Sasuke sat up, "We fought him but we didn't kill him. He was loosing to Kakashi and nearly died when the guy who hired him, Gato, said he was worthless and tried to kill Zabuza!"

Naruto took one step forward, "So Zabuza killed him instead but died in the process!"

Mayuri couldn't take it anymore, she needed to ask what had happened to their other friend, "And what about Haku?! What happened to him?! You kill him too?!"

Naruto had felt connected to Haku in a way, he felt horrible about his death, otherwise he never would've yelled at Zabuza the way he had. "Haku died protecting Zabuza. Kakashi was about to give the final blow, but Haku got in between them and took the attack right in the heart."

Shira and her team had calmed down a bit, they looked down at the floor, depressed. Their sadness lasted for only a moment as they looked up with smiles on their faces. Mayuri looked up, with happy thoughts of her friend. "I'm glad for Haku. He must've been happy dieing to protect Zabuza."

Naruto had seen how Zabuza had cared in the end for Haku, he'd cried for him, but who knows if his words had been what made him cry or it was his true feelings all along and he'd just never wanted to admit it. "What are you talking about?! He was horrible to Haku! He didn't even care if he died!"

Shira was angry, "Shut your mouth, boy! Never talk about Zabuza like that!"

Izonza had a sweet smile on her face, "Zabuza loved Haku, with all his heart. He would never not care about him. If he died, Zabuza would've tracked down the one who killed him to the ends of the earth."

Naruto could see now that it wasn't a rivalry relationship and obviously not for revenge, so what was it, why would these girls care so much for a killer like Zabuza? "What is with you three?! You do know he was a murderer right? Why would you care so much for someone like him?!"

Shira glared at him. _**How**_ _**dare he insult Zabuza like that!**_ "Of course we knew he was a murderer, a missing nin too. But he was like a father to us. He was kind to us, sweet, and encouraging. We met him on the road one day . . ."

Shira, Mayuri, and Izonza, back when they were younger, were walking through the forest one night when Zabuza and Haku happened by. Three prepared to attack. They all attacked at the same time but were thwarted by Zabuza's huge Halberd. "What do you three little girls think you're doing out here all alone?"

Shira stood up before the very large man. "According to your headband, you are from Kirigakure, The Village Hidden in the Mist. Show us your pass for permission to come here, or we won't hesitate to kill you!"

Zabuza laughed at the small little girl. "My, my, my aren't you a very strong little girl. You'll make a fine Kunoichi when you get older. If only girls your age were more like you three, we'd have much stronger female ninja."

Izonza took to her feet and stood by Shira's side. "Enough with the flattering, tell us why you're here, now!"

Mayuri stood as well on Shira's opposite side. "Don't underestimate us because we are young. We have moves you've never seen!"

Again Zabuza laughed and knelt before the girls. "Well I don't have any permission slips, girls. There's an herb on this island I need. Would you help me find it?"

The three looked to each other then turned back to the very tall man, and nodded. The herb was for some poison that the second one in the party, Haku had been hit with. The whole time, he kept apologizing to Zabuza for all the trouble. Zabuza just kept telling him to stop and that it was alright. The five quickly bonded as Zabuza and Haku stayed on the island for about a week. Everyday, the three would go out to see the two Mist ninja. The three told Zabuza and Haku everything, their dreams, their problems, everything and in turn, Zabuza and Haku told them everything as well. Zabuza had made the three stronger and strive to be even stronger. As Zabuza and Haku left, they said that he would like to meet the three girls again and fight them after they truly became ninja and wore their headbands with pride. Shira, Mayuri, Izonza waved good-bye to the closest thing to a father the three ever had.

"And we never heard or saw of him after that. Until the day we got word on the wind that he'd been killed, we just didn't know by who." Shira finished her explanation.

Sakura felt a bit bad for the three girls, "If it makes you feel any better, we gave them a proper burial."

Naruto pointed toward Shira, "I think you three owe us an apology!"

"Naruto!!!" Sakura was angry, how stupid could Naruto get?

"No . . .he's . . .right." Shira didn't like admitting she was wrong and wasn't the best at saying sorry, but she tried. "I'm . . .sorry."

"Same here."

"Forgive us, eh?"

"Congratulations to you all . . . on passing the second exam!!" _**Heh . . . we started with ninety applicants . . . it's amazing that thirty-three of them actually made it. I said I would pare their numbers down to less than half, but really I was only expecting a single digit figure. **_Anko stood before the seven teams with a little microphone on her mouth wrapped around to hang on her ear. Among her were the Hokage and the several sensei of the genin.

Isumekey stood on Kakashi's side with a new sensei, with short brown hair and the traditional jonin attire. Might Guy stood at Kakashi's other side, the sensei of Rock Lee, TenTen, Neji. He looked just like Rock Lee or Rock Lee looked just like him. "Your students made an impressive showing! I wonder how much of it was dumb luck . . .not that it matters. My team is bound to knock them out in the next round. At the next level, it will be all about their abilities . . .or lack there-of. Oh well . . .sometimes being young is all about learning to deal with heartbreak, eh, Kakashi?"

"Huh, I'm sorry . . .did you say something?" Kakashi looked at Guy with his usual uncaring attitude having not heard a thing Guy had said.

Guy turned away from Kakashi, shaking his fist and fire burning in his eyes. _**He . . .good one . . .as annoying as ever, Kakashi . . .you always did try to get under my skin with your aloof act.**_

Isumekey giggled a little, then looked at the other sensei next to her. "So Gure, your students doing well? Which ones are they again? Those three right there? The girl and the twins?"

Gure looked to his three students, Kero, Hyosue, and Hyoue. "They're doing very well. I'm very proud of them, especially the girl Kero. She's shown remarkable growth. What about you Isumekey? I heard you took in three Getsuei girls."

Isumekey smiled, "Of course I did. The three of them needed a sensei and I needed students, so I took them."

Gure smirked, "Actually, I checked the records. You aren't registered with those three."

"Uhh . . .uhh . . ." Isumekey was stuttering while Kakashi and Guy stared at her. Kakashi was wide-eyed, "Isumekey . . .I thought you said you got permission from the Hokage to take them?!!"

"Hahaha . . .ha . . .ha . . .ha . . . ." Isumekey tried to force a smile, trying to laugh.

The Hokage took one more look at the eleven teams standing before him. "No wonder their instructors vied for the right recommended them for this competition . . ."

Anko took a step closer to her lord. "Now Lord Hokage himself will explain about the third exam. Listen up and take every word he says to heart!! They're all yours, my lord."

The Hokage dropped his head for a moment. "Very well." He brought his head back up and stepped forward to speak. "The examination is about to commence . . .but before I go into the specifics of how it will be conducted . . .let me make one thing perfectly clear!!! It pertains to the underlying purpose of the exam. Why do you suppose an examination of this nature is beginning jointly conducted by all of the nations in our mutual alliance?! "To promote friendship among allied nations and raise the level of standers in the art of the shinobi . . ." Be very clear what those fine-sounding phrases actually mean! This serious of so-called examinations is, in fact . . ."

The Hokage continued to speak. He called it "A miniature war between the lands." He continued with the fact that the current treaties were temporary and would be easily broken. The lands had had many fights not long before, constant arguments and fights over and over. Until finally, a better way was created and that was the chunin journeyman ninja exams. Truthfully, it was also for selecting chunin ninja but not only that, it was to fight for the honor of each other's lands and that they may fight to the death if needed. During the third exam, many noble guests would be there watching. And if the ninja showed outstanding skills, the noblemen would consider asking work of those ninja and their country. In turn, the village would be given, in a sense, bragging rights to boast before the other villages.

"The strength of a country is derived from the strength of it's village . . .and the village draws strength from the shinobi who live there . . .and the greatest strength of those shinobi . . .only emerged in the mist of a desperate life-and-death battle! These exams provide a public arena for each country to show off and boast of the strength of its warriors . . .and hence the strength of the country itself! This test has meaning and great consequence. As you struggle for the sake of your very lives and your people, you help to fulfill the dream that was envisioned by our ancestors."

TenTen stood her ground to speak up. "But . . .you always emphasized the concept of "friendship" . . .why?!"

"Though my meaning is subtle, I chose my words with care. To preserve the balance of power at the risk of lives . . .is the essence of friendship in the world of shinobi. Let me reiterate before the third exam begins . . .you are taking no ordinary test! You risk not only your own futures and your dreams . . .but the dignity and prestige of your home village as well."

"Now I get it!" Naruto seemed sure of himself but who knows if he really did get it.

Gaara stood with his arms crossed, glaring at the leader of Konoha. "Whatever . . . Could you wrap up the philosophical talk and get down to the life-and-death stuff any time soon?"

Shira glared at Gaara, still running what she had seen in the forest through her mind. She wanted to find out why he'd wanted to kill the three Konoha genin for no reason.

"Hmph! So, you insist I explain the third exam? Well . . .the truth is . . ." The Hokage began but was interrupted.

A loud cough could be heard as a sickly looking man steeped forward with messy brown hair and bags under his eyes. "Forgive my interruption, Lord Hokage, but . . .if you don't mind handing the rest of the proceedings over . . .to me, Gekko Hayate, the proctor of the third exam."

" . . . go ahead." The Hokage stepped back to let the sickly man speak.

"Good to meet you everyone . . . I'm Hayate. Uhhh . . .before we start the exam . . .I must ask you all to do something for me . . ."

_**This guy seems kinda sicky . . .I wonder if he's alright . . .**_ The genin were all thinking the same thing.

Hayate spoke up, "Ummm . . .you see . . .there are some preliminaries to the exam proper . . .and whether you proceed to the main exam is contingent on how well you manage those."

"Preliminaries?!" Sakura was confused

"Preliminaries . . .like what?!" Shikamaru became confused as well.

"Master Hayate . . .I don't understand what you mean by preliminaries. Why can't all the remaining applicants just proceed directly to the third exam?" Sakura spoke up with a slightly disturbed look.

"Well . . .I don't want to say that the first two exams weren't demanding enough . . .but the truth is . . . we still have too many applicants. Under the traditional rule of the exam, we have to have a preliminary test . . .to reduce the number of applicant who precede to the third exam."

"B-But . . ." Sakura began to stutter.

"As Lord Hokage mentioned, a number of honored guests will be observing you during the third exam . . .so we must make the exam intense, tight, and fast moving. Hmmm . . so anyway . . .now that you know something of what it's really all about . . .anyone who doesn't feel up to the challenge, either physically or menially, can walk away. Just take one step forward . . .because the preliminaries start . . .right now!"

"Now?!" Kiba didn't want to start now, it was too soon.

"Well . . .I'm outta here." Kabuto stepped forward, eyes closed and a smirk.

"What?! Kabuto . . .?!" Naruto was yelling.

Gekko looked through his papers until he found the name he needed. "Ummm . . .aren't you . . Yakushi Kabuto of Konoha . . .? Okay. You can go. Ummm . . .in case I forgot to mention it, from here on in, you will fight as individuals . . .not as members of teams. So you can make the decision that right for you without worrying about anyone else. So . . .anybody else want out . . .show of hands . . .?"

"Heh! Kabuto!! What's up with you quitting?!" Naruto continued to yell.

"Naruto . . .I'm sorry . . .but those guys we fought beat the crap out of me. And ever since my scuffle with those Sound ninja prior to the first exam, I've been totally deaf in my left ear. Now their saying this could be a fight to the death . . .and I just don't think I'm up to that!"

Izonza looked over to the one called Kabuto. "Isn't that the guy with all the skill cards? He seemed so confident of himself before. What a loser!!"

"Heh." Mayuri giggled at the comment.

"So, uhhh, looks like no one else is baling out." Gekko stared at the now 32 genin.

"Oww . . ." Sasuke touched the black mark on his neck, winching in pain.

"S-Sasuke . . .maybe you should quite, too!" Sakura was very concerned.

"Hunh?!" Sasuke stared at her like she was crazy.

"Ever since that Orochimaru attacked you, you haven't been yourself!! That mark on your skin is hurting again, isn't it? And it just keeps getting worse!! Please . . .please withdraw . . .I . . .I'm afraid . . ." She began to cry. "You're in no shape to fight, Sasuke!"

Shira looked over at the one called Sasuke, turning her head slowly and only far enough so she could see him from the corner of her eye. _**What?! Orochimaru?!! He was attacked by Orochimaru?!!! His neck hurts! He must have one of those curse marks! We'll have to keep an eye on him!! Damnit!!!**_

Kero was on the other side of Sasuke and his team. She heard everything but didn't quite understand. She didn't know who this Orochimaru was but he sounded like bad news. She stared at Sasuke out of the corner of her, sadly. She felt bad for Sasuke in pain, even though she hardly knew him.

"Shut up . . .!!" Sasuke attempted to raise his voice as best as he could without starting a commotion.

"Sasuke, I know . . .that you've barley been able to contain the pain all this time!" Sakura tried to fight back her tears to make a convincing argument.

Sasuke glared at her, he wanted to shut her up. "I said . . ."

"You leave me no choice. If you won't listen to reason . . .I'm going to tell all the teachers about that mark and then . . ." Sakura began to lift her hand up but Sasuke rose his as well, caught hers, and brought hers harshly down. "Keep your mouth shut! Not a word about a mark!"

Sakura began to cry again. "Why do you always have to act so strong?! I can't bear to watch you suffer, Sasuke!"

Sasuke tried to calm down, but wanted to be as convincing as possible. "It's my decision . . .and it's none of your business! This pain is my burden to bare . . . alone. Remember what I told you, Sakura? I'm an avenger. This is more than a test for me . . .and I don't care whether I achieve the level of chunin or not. "Am I strong?" Finding that out is all that matters to me now. I'm here to test myself against the best of the best."

Sasuke remembered when he first met Gaara. "Gaara of the Desert, at your service."

He remembered when he talked to Shira. "I won't give my name unless you ask it of my teammates as well."

He remembered when he saw Kero attacked the Take ninja. "Leave those two alone!"

He remembered what Rock Lee said after their fight. "Mark my words . . ."

He remembered when Neji came up to him. "What's your name?"

And he remembered after the fight with the Sound ninja. "I give you my word on behalf of us all that if you let us go . . ."

Sasuke left his mind and returned to reality with the weeping Sakura in front of him. "And the best apponents I could find are all around us, here and now. Not even for your sake . . .will I turn away from the path that leads to my dream!"

Shira continued to stare. _**What a fool! He confuses dreams with his own selfish gain. That girl is worried about him and he can only think for himself.**_

Naruto looked at Sasuke with disgust, making a poor woman like Sakura cry. "Hey, idiot! Why the heck are you trying to act so cool?! Sakura is worried sick about you! Don't you care?!"

"Naruto . . .You're one of the ones I want to fight . . ." Sasuke smiled a devilish smile at the shocked Naruto. The two stared, stared, and stared and might've continued to stare till they couldn't stare anymore but again the mark pulsed causing more pain.

Hayate realized that no one else was going to quite. " . . .well then . . .we'll now begin the preliminaries . . .which will consist of individual combat matches, as though this were part of a tournament. As there are a total 32 competitors remaining, we will hold a total of fourteen bouts. Ummm . . .and the victors of those bouts will advance to the third exam. This is no hold-barred combat. Each pair of competitors will fight until one of them is dead or unconscious . . .or admits defeat. As soon as you sense you opponent is overpowering you, immediately concede your loss . . .if you value your life. Uhhh . . .since we don't want a total bloodbath on our hands, there may be cases . . .where we ascertain that there is an undisputed winner and step in to end the match. But don't count on that. From here on out, the key to your fate is held in . . ."

"Open it!" Anko whispered into the mike on her mouth.

A large platinum screen TV came down from the ceiling. "Ummm . . . this is the Electric Scoreboard. At the start of every round, we will display the two combatants competing in that match . . .so, umm . . .not to hurry you all to the slaughter . . .but let's begin. Now we will announce the first two names."

The scoreboard brought up the first names, which read Uchiha Sasuke vs. Akado Yoroi.

Hayate stepped in the middle of the arena. "Will the individuals who's names are listed on the board come forward now . . .? Akado Yoroi, Uchiha Sasuke . . .you two have been selected to compete in the first bout. Any objections?"

"None . . ." The one called Yoroi looked up.

"I'm good . . ." Sasuke smirked. "Oww!" Sasuke felt the pain in his neck again.

Gekko started to step back. "Uhhh . . .it's time for the first round to commence . . .alright? Everyone other than the two competitors should move up to the upper gallery now!" All the other genin made their way up to the upper levels to watch the fight and to wait for their turns.

"Alright, please begin."

"Shall I start?"

"Go for it."

Yoroi's right hand began to glow while his left was rustling threw his shuriken pouch. Sasuke dug threw his to pull out a kunai. Yoroi through his three shuriken while Sasuke knocked them back with his knife. The curse mark began to throb again, making him fall on the floor while Yoroi dodged the shuriken sent back his way by Sasuke's knife. After falling on his side, Sasuke looked back toward his opponent to find Yoroi in front of him. Yoroi brought a fist down but Sasuke dodged, rolling on his side. Yoroi's fist was deep in the ground. Sasuke dug his knife in the ground, used it to swing himself behind his opponent, wrapped his feet under Yoroi, and knocked Yoroi to the ground. As he fell, he grabbed Sasuke's upper shirt just below the caller while his hand began to glow blue again.

Sasuke could fell himself getting weaker and weaker as he tried to force the hand off of him. _**My strength . . .it's fading?!**_

Finally Yoroi let go only to smash his fist into Sasuke's chest so he could be released from Sasuke's leg-hold. _**Wh-Why . . .? Where did all my strength go?**_

Yoroi thrust himself at Sasuke's face with his glowing blue hand onto his forehead chuckling at Sasuke's attempt to pull the hand off of his eyes. " . . .you're . . .feeding on my chakra . . ."

Yoroi continued to chuckle. " . . .heh heh . . .finally figured it out, eh?"

Yoroi continued to suck more and more of Sasuke's chakra causing him intense pain, obvious from his horrid screams. "Ohhh . . .you . . .son of a bitch . . .!!"

Sasuke found the strength to kick Yoroi off of him, surprisingly far. Sasuke slowly struggled but was only able to sit up on his knees, breathing heavily. Yoroi started chuckling again, "Heh heh . . .imagine a little a little vermin like you . . .having any strength left to oppose me."

Gaara was watching from the balcony with everyone else, arms crossed with his usual emotionless face. "Uchiha Sasuke . . .**this** is all he can do?"

Naruto was watching the fight, growling and grinding his teeth, he couldn't take it anymore. "How can you still call yourself Uchiha Sasuke?! You're a disgrace to . . . to yourself!! Aren't you embarrassed to have everyone see you as a big loser?!"

Sasuke looked up to see Lee staring at him. _**That's . . .!! That's it!!**_

Yoroi's hand started to glow again as he ran for Sasuke. "Heh . . .You couldn't have picked a worse time to let your mind wander!!" _**Now I'll absorb all of his chakra! This is it!! **_

When he was in striking range, Sasuke swung his leg upward with a swift kick to Yoroi's jaw, throwing him upward. All watched in amazement. Sasuke jumped up underneath Yoroi, sailing with him. "After this, I'll limit myself to my own special skills, but for now . . .! It's over." Sasuke put his pointer and middle finger to Yoroi's back. Yoroi began to sweat, "Oh! Kagebuyo—Shadow of the Dancing Leaf . . .?!"

Sasuke smirked, "Eat this!

Suddenly, the curse mark began to pulse and spread all over his body. Blood spilling out of his mouth with several coughs, his muscles tightened, and pain spread throughout his whole body. _**CRAP . . .!!**_ Sasuke could remember the worried faces of his teammates _**. . . .I'm not just gonna . . .lie back and let it . . .consume me!!**_ Sasuke used all the willpower he had left to force the curse mark back, to the surprise of all watching, including Orochimaru in disguise. "Let's go!"

Sasuke pushed off of Yoroi, swung his leg up to kick his side but Yoroi blocked, Sasuke pushed off, punched him on his other side, spun around, punched him in the stomach to bring Yoroi down back to the floor. "And now . . ." With one final spin, Sasuke used the heal of his foot to jab Yoroi right in the stomach. "Shishirendan! Barrage of Lions!"

Yoroi lay on the floor without moving, the floor had cracked underneath him. Sasuke had fallen a few feet away from him laying flat on his stomach. Hayate walked over to the defeated Leaf. _**I can tell without even looking . . . **_

Sasuke sat up panting and whipping the blood from his mouth. Hayate smirked. "I'm halting this match before it goes any further, in other words . . .Uchiha Sasuke is the champion of the first battle . . .and advances past the preliminaries to the next level!"

"He did it!!!" Naruto was screaming while Sakura was relieved.

Sasuke trembled and started to fall backwards but Kakashi teleported down to him supporting his back with his knee. "Hey! Well done!" Sasuke looked back to his sensei paying no attention to him, only his book, the second in the three part series, Make-Out Violence.

Naruto was still yelling. "Hey, Sasuke! You won . . .but in such an uncool way!! And you came out looking like you're the one who got beat up!"

Sakura was relived with a sweet smile. Sasuke smirked, "Shut up, clown."

The medics came over to pick up Yoroi when they turned to Sasuke. "Uchiha Sasuke . . .we must escort you, too, and put you under the care of the medical corps . . .so you can get the best possible treatment."

"You have no idea what you'd be getting yourselves into. I'll handle him" Kakashi turned his eyes away from his book, knelling down behind Sasuke. "He can come with me right now and . . ." He placed his hand on Sasuke shoulder, whispering in his ear. "I'll seal away the curse mark."

Hayate called for the scoreboard to select the next names.

Sasuke looked up, "Can't this wait? I want to watch everyone else compete."

"No! Don't let your emotions cloud your judgment! This thing is spreading like a disease, and it's already close to the point of no return. I let you have your own way once, and it's only made you greedy."

Everyone watched with hesitation as the next names came up. Kamori Kero vs. Domike Masayoshi.

Kakashi looked down at Sasuke who seemed desperate to see this match. " . . .but this one you can watch." Sasuke looked at Kakashi suddenly. "It's just, I need a little while to prepare so you can watch this match and only this match. Got it!"

Sasuke nodded as Kakashi teleported with Sasuke back up to the balcony. He placed Sasuke against the wall and vanished with a smile. Kero walked over to Sasuke who was already surrounded by all the others, including his adoring fan, Ino. "Hey, Sasuke. That was a pretty interesting match down there."

Sasuke gave her a strange glare. Kero didn't quite understand, "What's that look for?!"

"What's with you all of a sudden? You've never talked to me before?!"

Kero started to laugh sarcastically with her hand behind her head. "Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Well, the thing is . . .I kinda never noticed you before!" Sasuke was amazed at how absent-minded she was. "Well actually, I did see you this one time but I thought your hair kinda looked a pineapple!" He couldn't believe she could say that with a straight face.

Ino, of course, became quickly annoyed with the one called Kero mindlessly talking to "her Sasuke". "Hey you? Why are you bothering my Sasuke?"

Kero took her eyes off of Sasuke and straight into the ones of the yelling blonde. "First of all, he's not "your Sasuke". I don't see your name on him. Second, I'm not bothering him, I'm congratulating him, which is far more than you can say."

"Well you've never talked to him before. Don't tell me you're suddenly interested in him, Kamori Kero!"

"Well I feel like talking to him now, and no, I'm not interested in him so don't go get your panties in a twist."

Ino knew Kero a little bit. She'd seen her in class a few times talking to the idiot Naruto and hanging with the twins Hyosue and Hyoue. She had the strangest color of hair. "Maybe not Sasuke but what about other guys, huh? I've seen you around. You sit all by yourself so you color your hair to stand out. All you want is attention!" Ino smiled, bitch-like.

"I've told you, and I've told everyone else. This is natural. And if anyone flirts with guys here, it's you."

Ino was annoyed from the false accusation. "What are you talking about? I would never flirt with anyone other than my Sasuke!"

"But I saw you in the forest. You and your team were hiding when that black-haired guy with the white eyes came by. He found out where you were hiding so you came out, undid your ponytail and said something about having been waiting for him for a long time but he just walked away and said you guys weren't worth his time."

Ino was bright red with all the faces on her, she was embarrassed but angry too. "Whatever, Bitch! Just stay the hell away from my Sasuke, got it!!"

"And what if I don't? What are you gonna do about it? You gonna flirt with me too?"

Ino was hotter and redder now. She wanted to kill Kero but had witnessed she had seen what had happened with the Take ninja back in the exam room. Ino knew she couldn't take Kero on. "Whatever!!!" She stormed off in the other direction back to her team.

"Kamori Kero, we're getting impatient! Would you be so kind as to come down here please!" Hayate stood, tapping his foot.

"Right well, bye Sasuke. Wish me luck!" Kero jumped up over the railing and pushed off to land a few feet from her opponent. Sasuke ducked his head down so no one else could see or hear. "Good luck, Kero." He was smiling.

"The second match will start . . .NOW!!!"


	7. Chapter 7

Kero looked on at her opponent. He was a very big guy in height and size who looked far too big to only be about 12. He looked to be about 6ft. with a thin head of hair in a small ponytail, a sleeveless shirt and baggy jeans. "Ho, ho, ho, ho! Are you afraid?! You're shaking, little girl!"

_**Man, this guy sure is full of himself. **_ Kero was getting annoyed.

"Are you starting to realize that fighting me will be too much for you? If I were you, I'd forfeit now and save myself a lot of hurt, little girl!"

"Would you just shut . . .up!!!" Kero ran up into Masayoshi's face, jumped up, kicked him in the chest and knocked him back a few steps. She landed back on her feet in front of him, jumped back up again, and swung kicked Masayoshi in the back of his neck. He fell, while Kero landed gracefully on her hands and feet, quickly standing up with a smirk.

Masayoshi stood up quickly, very pissed off. "Just who do you think you are kicking me in the face!" Kero jumped at the idiot and kicked her opponent in the face once more sending him back flying. Kero looked on with her arms crossed and her body cocked to the side.

"If you don't want to be kicked, don't waist my time by mouthing off! You stupid little boy!!!"

"Who are you calling stupid?!"

"I don't see anybody stupider than you."

"You dare insult me?!" Masayoshi pulled out a whip from the back of his shirt. "No one insults me!!!"

"You're weak too. In fact, you're not even worthy enough for me to use any of my weapons. I'll fight you bare handed."

"Fine!" _**Look at her. Such a little girl in such a little kimono, there's no way she had anymore than just a few shuriken with her!**_

He spoke much too soon, because over the course of a few minutes, a huge pile of weapons formed next to Kero, while she was pulling out even more. Shuriken, kunai, katana, naginata, sai, sickles, pokers, and anything else you could think of.

Sasuke was amazed. _**Wow!!!**_

Naruto seemed broken down and defeated. _**I really thought I knew that girl.**_

The twins looked a bit confused. _**I thought she had more than that?**_

Masayoshi had a broken down/amazed look. _**Where the hell does she keep all of those?!**_

"Are you gonna stare all day or are we gonna do this?"

"Why you little-" Masayoshi shot the whip out straight for her.

Kero jumped up, grabbed the end of the whip, wrapped herself up in the slack, and landed on the big guys hand with her right foot in his face.

"Get off of my face!"

"I will not!"

"SHUT UP!!!" He pushed her off of him. "Bunshin no Jutsu! Art of the Doppelganger!!!" He quickly summoned ten doppelgangers than surrounded Kero. _**Damn!!**_

All the doppelgangers ran straight for her, each with their own whip. The one in the head made the first move, flinging his whip right in her face. She got down on her hands, spun around, and shot an uppercut kick to the whip, knocking it out of the doppelganger's hand. She then jumped up, spun in the air, drop kicking the doppelganger in the head and, destroying it.

The twins were watching intensely from the balcony.

Hyosue seemed worried, "Watch out, Kero!"

Hyoue was into it, "All right, Kero! Kick that monkey man's ass!!"

Kero made her way to a second doppelganger plowing her foot into his face. Then a third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and finally the tenth.

"She did it!!" The twins were shouting a loud battle cry.

Masayoshi on the other hand was pissed off, stomping his foot up and down. "Don't let it go to your head!" He started to pulse as his muscles began to grow exponentially, ripping his shirt. "This time, I'll bury you . . .with my bare hands!!"

He shot a powerful fist her way. She dodged of course but was amazed for only but a moment as the mere pressure from his fist that broke the wall behind her.

A punch here, a jump here, a kick here, a block here. It was a back and fourth thing for a while. Finally, Kero jumped up to dodge a punch and while up in the air, she flung a kick for his head, but he grabbed her foot and threw her against the wall.

The twins started shouting, looking on distressed. "Kero!!!

"What is this?! Is this the most power you can muster?! It's true! My power can't be challenged! You stupid little girl!!"

Kero sat up on her hand and shoved an uppercut kick right in his face. "Stop it."

Before she could drop her leg back to her side, Masayoshi grabbed it. "I wounded this leg when I threw you, didn't I?" He wrapped his hands around her leg and squeezed. "Well? Does it hurt?! Is it agonizing? You like to use kicks when you fight. You aren't gonna beat somebody as good as I am putting up a wounded leg as your guard."

"It isn't there as a guard." She was nonchalant and to the point.

"What was that?!" Masayoshi was annoyed but not really angry, just unbelieving.

"I don't care where I'm injured. It makes no difference. When I decide to do something, I do it!" Kero spun around, forced Masayoshi to let her go, and while spinning, she shot a final kick with her wounded leg right in Masayoshi's chest sending him back flying. "And that's all!"

Hayate walked over to check Masayoshi. He wasn't breathing and his heart wasn't beating. "The winner of the second match is, Kamori Kero!"

Kero made her way back toward the stairs and started up them. Shira watched this Kero make her way closer and closer toward her. She had a stirring feeling in her gut of pure disgust but she didn't understand why_**. I don't get it. I don't even know her but I just have this feeling of contempt for her. **_

Kero came within a few feet of Shira and could feel the same thing. _**What the hell is this? I hate her! I simply hate her but I don't even know her?! **_

Kero stopped right in front of Shira, the two staring deeply into each others eyes with feelings of disgust and hatred for both but neither really understood. Both of course tried to hold their feelings back.

Shira spoke first. "That was a pretty interesting fight down there. I've never seen anything quite like that before."

"You wouldn't." Shira glared with her crashing eyes. Kero on the other hand was in pure conflict with herself. _**Why did I just say that? She just complimented me . . .I think. So why did I just slam her?**_

"Of course you took way to much time to take him down. But I wouldn't expect much from someone like you."

"What? Are you saying I'm weak?!"

"You want me to say it again?"

"Sure, go ahead, if you're brave enough to."

"You saying I'm chicken?"

"You want me to say it again?!"

The two jumped back, Shira unsheathed her sword, only enough to see a few inches of the blade. Kero took out eight shuriken and placed them in-between her fingers. "You two! Stop right now!"

The two looked down toward the horse shout. Hayate was staring right at them, seriously yet still sickly. "I told you all. No fights outside of the arranged matches! Understood!"

With a final glare the two heeded the proctor's words and left back for their teams.

Kero went back over to Sasuke who watched her every step. "Well, how did I do?"

Sasuke smiled a little, "Very good."

Kero smiled a big bright smile.

"Sasuke!" Kakashi reappeared next to Sasuke. Kero looked up at the very tall jonin who smiled to her. He put his hand down on Sasuke's shoulder and vanished with him.

The board was summoned again to show the next names. Zaku Abumi vs. Aburame Shino.

Zaku smirked, "Who's that loser?"

Shino on the other hand was silent.

"Uhhh . . .all right, everyone. It's time . . .for the third match of the prelims to begin!" Hayate turned slowly and sickly toward Zaku. "Okay . . .you may begin.

Those who were paying attention at the time remembered Zaku as one of the sound ninja who attacked Kabuto. During the fight with Sasuke in the Forest of Death, Sasuke had gotten a hold of Zaku's arms and had broken them both. Now they were in slings and wrapped.

Shino looked like a secret agent with his round dark shades staring blankly and seemingly annoyed. "If you go through with this, you'll get hurt so badly you'll never be the same. Walk away . . .while you can."

Zaku began to chuckle as a quivering arm slowly pulled itself out of its sling. "Hah. Looks like this arm still has some life left in it. And I'm betting I can take you with one hand tied . . .so to speak."

Zaku took a jumpstart and swung a punch with his good arm at Shino. It appeared at first that the punch hit but Shino had merely put his arm up to block. "It'll take more than one arm to beat me!"

Zaku became aggravated, "Shut up!!!" He turned his hand to Shino's face. His hand had a strange looking hole in the palm. _**See how you like . . .this!! **_"Zankuha! The Blast that Slices the Air!!"

Shino went back and rolled a few times. Hinata and Kiba watched horrified as their strongest member seemed to be loosing.

"That's it!!" Kakashi finally finished drawing several symbols in blood all over Sasuke's back and up the walls which all led to the curse mark on his neck. Kakashi stood behind Sasuke with his hands together. "Just a little longer and it'll be all done." After performing a few hand signs, Kakashi placed his hand over the curse mark. _**Fujahôin! The sealing of the curse!**_

Sasuke's body began to throb with a painful sensation as the symbols painted on the wall moved up his body to circle the curse mark.

Kakashi watched as Sasuke held himself up with his hands. "Even if the curse mark awakens again . . .the power of this Fujahôin spell should contain it. But . . .Sasuke the foundation of the spell's power is in the strength of your own will. You have to want it to work . . .and you must believe in your own power to control it. If you don't . . .the curse could have its way again!"

Sasuke eyes became heavy and his body wobbled from weakness as his arms gave way. Kakashi seemed amazed, "You're so worn out, I barely recognize you."

"So you've mastered the spells of sealing, Kakashi? . . .looks like you're all grown up."

Kakashi became frightened as he turned to see the one talking to him. " . . .you're . . ."

"It's been a long time . . ."

" . . . Orochimaru . . ."

" . . .pardon my rudeness, Kakashi, but . . . I have no use for you. I'm here about the boy behind you."

Kakashi glared at Orochimaru, "What do you want with Sasuke . . .?"

"Oh, you know how it is . . .two guys have something . . .and a third one's just got to get it, too!"

Kakashi was confused.

"You haven't had it for very long yourself, you know. Know what it is yet? It's the Sharingan!!"

Kakashi stood his ground.

"I must posses . . .Uchiha blood!

"What for . . .?!"

" . . .the newly created village of Hiding in Sound . . .Otogakure . . .that is my home, you see . . ."

Kakashi was disturbed.

"Is it becoming clear?"

"So it's just your greed . . .and delusions of grandeur. "

"I suppose you could say that . . . good help is hard to find these days . . .and I need all sorts of pawns at my disposal."

The dust began to clear. "On your feet, loser!"

Shino pulled himself up slowly like a mummy. Zaku cocked his head as Shino's face came in view. Zaku's attack had wounded Shino, there seemed to be a hole in his face with something moving in and out and around the wound. Zaku took a better look at the wound. _**Wh-What the . . .? **_Beetles were moving all around his wound.

Zaku was freaked out. _**B-Bugs?! They're swarming out through his skin . . .from inside his body!**_

A slight scurrying sound was heard behind Zaku. He turned around to find a swarm of the beetles coming in fast.

Shino played with one of the beetles crawling on his finger. "Do you like my little friends? They're called kikaichu—parasitic destruction beetles. They attack in swarms and devour the chakra of their prey. There's no way you'll survive an onslaught of this magnitude . . .so if you value your life . . .you'd better surrender. It's your only way out. Use your left-hand strike on me again . . .and they'll instantly be all over your unprotected back."

Zaku turned his back to see the swarm getting closer.

"Use your left-hand strike against the kikaichu swarm . . .and your front will be open for my attack. You're finished either way. Unless, of course you had the foresight to prepare a backup plan."

"Who do you think you're talking to?!! You wanna see a backup plan?! How about this?!" Zaku flinched for a moment but then it passed as he quickly pulled his other arm out of its sling to face the swarm.

"So you think that Sasuke . . .is one of your pawns?" Kakashi glared at Orochimaru.

"Oh, he's a very special pawn . . .a real keeper . . ."

Zaku attempted to use his sound-waves again, but his arms exploded from the inside, blowing his right arm off. "What on earth . . .?!" Zaku's holes in his palm were full of bugs.

Shino quickly moved behind Zaku. "Just now, while I distracted you with all that helpful advice, my little friends were making their quiet way to key points upon your body . . .creeping down the tunnels you blast your gale winds through. And that, my friends, is a true backup plan."

Zaku turned to Shino angrily, "Y-You . . .!"

Shino smacked Zaku right in the face sending him back flying.

"Stay away from Sasuke." Kakashi bent over slightly as his hand began to glow. Chakra surrounded his hand and became visible taking the form of thin strips of lightning. "Even if you are one of **those** three ninja . . .the man I am today can take you down!"

Orochimaru started to chuckle with an hysteric laughter.

"What's so funny?"

"You say one thing . . .and do another."

"What?!"

"The curse-binding spell you placed upon Sasuke was futile! When a heart is sufficiently focused and ruthless in its desires . . .then, for good or evil, the end will justify any means. Sasuke possesses just such a heart . . .the heart of an avenger."

Kakashi continued to glare but the bags under his eyes grew darker. "So that's how you got your hooks into him . . . But Sasuke, not--!"

Orochimaru turned around and started away. "A day will come when he will seek me out . . .hungry for power!! Meanwhile . . .I believe you were offering to kill me. Care to try? Or are you all talk?"

Kakashi had a sudden vision. Even with his back to Kakashi, Orochimaru's horrid mind games hit him. He saw and felt his own death, watching his own head go flying off of his neck. When the vision left him, Kakashi saw Orochimaru walking off.

Hayate examined Zaku who was on the floor spilling blood from his mouth. "He's finished."

Neji summoned his Kekkei Genkai. _**Byakugan! The All-Seeing Evil Eye!**_

Neji examined the ninja to find a somewhat disturbing truth. "Whoa . . .I thought he'd used a summoning spell to marshal the bugs, but . . .his whole body's infested with them!"

Neji's eyes showed what he spoke of. The beetles lived in his veins, his bones, even in his face and skull.

Lee freaked, "Wh-What"

Guy Sensei stayed calm, "There's a ledged in Konoha of a clan of Beetle-masters . . ."

Neji continued to stare using his blank, white eyes. "Yes . . .now that you mention it . . .I've heard the birthright of anyone born into the clan . . .is that from the moment they enter the world, their bodies are given over to the crawling vermin to use as nests. The beetle-masters enter into a contract with the bugs, wherein the swarms will answer to the master's call, fighting his battles and bending to his will . . .and the beetles are compensated by the abundance of the master's chakra which they consume for food."

"And you're telling me that Shino . . .is a member of this clan?!" Lee became serious.

"Poor Zaku . . ." The Sound wrapped in bandages surprisingly seemed to care for his teammate.

"Why did his arms explode?!" The taller female had her hand on the railing watching the medics take her teammate away.

"From the looks of things . . .this Shino character directed the beetles to plug up the exit holes in Zaku's hands. When Zaku tried to unleash the Zankuha, the pressure built up inside his arms with nowhere to go, until . . .like a gun barrel when the path of bullets is blocked, Zaku blew his own arm off."

Shino started off up to the stairs as Hayate awarded him the victor. All eyes were on him. His old classmates were amazed he'd gotten so strong. His teammates congratulated him while he threw it right back in their faces informing them they must not let the team down.

Hayate summoned the scoreboard to select the next fighters as Kakashi reappeared before his two students. "Yo!" His hand was at attention at his forehead as if he was saluting Naruto and Sakura. He looked as he always did with his uncaring, board eyes.

Sakura looked to her master very worried, "What do you mean, "Yo"?! Master Kakashi, tell us about Sasuke! Is he all right?!"

"He's fine . . .sound asleep in the infirmary even as we speak."

Sakura blew a sigh of relief.

Kero was listening the whole time. She knew that Sasuke had been hurt and needed attention from the argument he had had with Sakura. Something about a curse mark from some guy named Orochimaru. The name gave her chills all throughout her body. She was glad he was doing better. She liked this Sasuke. She thought he was a strong fighter and really cool. She wanted to hang out with him more. He'd make a great sparring partner. She never paid much attention to him back at the academy but she did remember some guy getting all the attention from the Kunoichi in the class. From what the stupid blonde Ino had demonstrated, this Sasuke was that guy. He was cute and all but there were more important things a Kunoichi should worry about.

The next names came up Kire Mato vs. Izonza.


	8. Chapter 8

"Oh, yes!! It's my turn!!!" Izonza was ecstatic, jumping up and down, waving her hands in the air. She jumped up and over the balcony to land in front of a scrawny little boy, a boy from the Sound, another reason she was so happy. When they found out the scoreboard was going to decide the matches, all three of the girls were very disappointed. They prayed to the Water and Moon spirit for the chance to fight the Sound. Their prayers were answered.

The boy acted like a scared little girl. His knees were knocked and every little sound seemed to frighten him.

Izonza . . .wasn't convinced. "Drop the sorry little girl act, boy!"

"Wh-What?!! Wh-What are you t-talking about, m-miss?!" Mato looked like he had a sword in his face. He was a very good actor. Hollywood would've killed to have him on their team. He would've had more awards than Johnny Depp, Will Smith, Orlando Bloom, and Nicole Kidman combined.

"Don't try to kid yourself, little boy. Sound ninja don't act like they got a snake in their pants."

The boy lost his sweet, childish demeanor as his eyes cocked along with a crooked, evil smile. "You Getsuei wenches sure are smarter than you look." Mato pulled out a discus that Zena the Warrior Princess would've killed to have.

"That's a pretty little circle thingy you've got there, Miso." Izonza was swaying back and forth with her knees knocked, twirling her finger in a circular motion.

"Hey!!! My name is Mato, not Miso! Do I look like a pile of food to you?!!!" Though he acted like it, the insult didn't look like it fazed him much.

"Sorry, little Miso. Didn't mean to make you mad."

"I said—AARRRGGGGHHH!!! Are you that dense?!! Never mind, I don't have time to yell at you! Enban Senpuu! Whirlwind Discus!" He summoned a huge funnel of sound and wind from the hole in the center of the discus. It rose up and headed straight for Izonza, plowing right into the ground. When the whirlwind vanished, there was no trace of Izonza.

"Ha, looks like that stupid chick was all talk."

"You better have not been talking about me."

Mato looked behind him toward where the feminine voice came from. Izonza was standing behind him, cleaning her nails. "How the hell did you survive my Enban Senpuu?!!"

Izonza looked up, nonchalantly and stupidly. "Oh, you mean that projectile of kinetic energy of sound in a solid form? That funnel thingy? It was really slow and very easy to dodge." She returned to cleaning her nails. She was very into it.

Mato on the other hand, was annoyed. "How dare you turn your gaze from me during a fight!! Are you insulting me?!"

Izonza was silent for a few more minutes finishing making her nails sparkling white and clean. "Oh I was just preparing for my attack."

"Your attack? What attack?! That skimpy little thing you're wearing couldn't hold any weapons whatsoever!!"

"You wanna see?" Her nails began to grow, long, sleek, and sharp. She crossed her arms in front of her face to show off her new weapons. "Kamisori Kugi no Jutsu! Razor Nail Technique!"

Mato looked on amazed, "What the hell?!"

"For a Sound ninja, you sure are stupid. Don't you know anything about Getsuei? I practice the third most powerful technique of the Moon Village, Wolf Imitation."

"Whatever. Wolf Imitation my ass! Those nails won't do crap!!"

"Wanna bet?!" Izonza jumped up, high into the air. Gravity quickly took over as she began to fall above his head. Mato didn't have enough time to move out of the way as she quickly landed right next to him, gracefully landing on her feet like a cat and gently standing at Mato's side with no help from her hands. Mato was frozen for only a moment after she rose, his mouth wide open and eyes bulging out, seemingly unable to move. Then, with a quick burst of blood, he fell face first to the floor. The crowd was silent.

"That's it?! That's all?! How lame!!" Izonza had her hands on her hips, bending over Mato's body like a rooster, his blood poring out of the perfect slice in his head and chest. "Hurt much? Ohhh, I guess you can't hear me anymore!"

"Izonza. Is he dead?" Shira was bending over the bar to get a better look at her teammates nice, clean kill.

Izonza knelt down next to the Sound ninja and placed her index and middle finger to the vain in his neck. "Yeah. He's dead."

Hayate looked a little scared. "The winner is . . .Izonza."

"Good. Now hurry back up here." Shira smiled.

"Okay, Shira!" Izonza started back toward her two teammates when she heard the frantic voices of the medics. They were working as fast as possible to get the Sound ninja on their stretcher to save him. Izonza smiled her spicy smile. "I wouldn't waist my time if I were you. He's already dead."

The medics knew she was right, but they felt obligated to try, at least they needed to move the body out of the way. They couldn't just leave it there.

Izonza decided to end her performance as fabulously as she had started it. Instead of using the stairs, she knelt down from where she stood and jumped up. Gracefully, she landed on her hands and feet on the bar in front of Shira and Mayuri. Both smiled at her. "Show off!" Izonza giggled as she hopped down from the bar, placing herself in the middle of the two other girls.

The next names were decided. Tsurugi Misumi vs. Kankuro

Kankuro smirked. _**My turn . . .at last!**_

An older ninja from the Sand stood off with the other adults. His headband was on his forehead with a piece of white cloth over the left side of his face. His checks were painted with much armor covering his body, mostly his shoulders. _**Kankuro . . .isn't taking this seriously at all.**_

Gaara glared at his idiotic older brother out of the corner of his eye. _**Fool!**_

The bags under Hayate's eyes looked as though they were getting thicker, fuller, and darker. "All right . . .then . . .you may begin."

Kankuro and Misumi were a few feet from each other. Misumi was dressed just as Yoroi was but with glasses. "Even though you're just a little brat . . . .I'm not letting down my guard like Yoroi did. In fact, let me make one thing perfectly clear . . .you'd be better off forfeiting the match before you get hurt. This won't take long at all."

"I agree . . ." Kankuro slipped the strap of whatever was on his back off of his shoulder. "I'll be finished with you in no time." He placed the large object on the ground, holding it up with his hand. The bandages came a little loose as the wind blew by.

Misumi was startled by the large object so he jumped right for Kankuro with a punch. Kankuro stopped the punch easily but that was what Misumi was hoping for.

"What?!"

Despite Kankuro's pulling and jerking, Misumi wrapped around him like rubber. "In order to gather intelligence, I've had my body altered so that it can infiltrate even the smallest space. I can dislocate every joint and manipulate my limp body by the power of my chakra alone! And with this power, I can keep squeezing and constricting until your bones crack! The longer you wait to surrender, the tighter I'll squeeze! I don't know what your own ninja art may be . . .but once your body is helpless in my hands, it doesn't even matter. And if you give the slightest hint of trying anything clever in order to avert defeat . . .then I'll snap your neck like a twig!"

Kankuro began to shiver.

"You're running out of time . . ."

Kankuro smirked a devious, evil smirk that stretched from ear to hear. "Heh . . .no way . . ."

Irritated, Misumi squeezed tighter. "Do you want to be the one who dies . . .?!"

Kankuro continued to smirk despite his lose of breath and slight panting. "Do you? You're about to get your wish!"

The vain on the side of Misumi's head pulsed for the last time. Hayate was speechless and his pupils dilated. SNAP. The sound echoed throughout the arena. Everyone watched as Kankuro's body went limp and his head flopped down.

Lee seemed scared. "He broke his neck!"

"What?!" Naruto was just as freaked as everyone else.

Gaara didn't seem to care. "What a waste."

"Hah! The fool!" Misumi looked at Hayate for recognition. "He just wouldn't give up . . .so I killed him."

"And now I can return the favor!!♥" The head spun around backward, his face starting to peal off revealing a puppet's eye.

"Wh-What?!" Misumi started to freak out as the body began to break apart to reveal a large four-armed puppet who quickly wrapped its arms around him and squeezed tightly.

"Unh! I-It's just a doll . . .a marionette!!"

The large object wrapped in bandages began to squirm. An arm popped out and took hold of one of the pieces of wrapping and pulled. The wraps unraveled with Kankuro inside.

Misumi was amazed. _**So that's the real body?!**_ Kankuro's hand began to glow and long, thin lines came off of his fingers onto the puppet. _**He's a puppet-master!**_

"Think how much more flexible you'll be . . .with all those bones of yours broken to bits."

Misumi tried to break free. "G-Give . . .up . . .AAAAUGH!" Kankuro pulled his hand forward and clenched his fist.

"But . . .I'll leave your neck intact."

Hayate began to cough again but still looked pleased. _**An interesting turn of events! I'm glad I didn't stop the match before . . .when it looked like things were going the other way . . .**_ "Due to Misumi's inability to fight back . . .the winner of the match is Kankuro!!"

"Two of them against one guy . . .isn't that against the rules? Isn't it, Master Kakashi?!" Naruto was shouting again.

Kakashi on the other hand, kept his usual uncaring attitude. "Not in this case, Naruto. The "other guy" is just some kind of golem . . ."

Sakura narrowed her eyebrows at Naruto. "The art of the puppet-master!! He manipulates a lifeless doll by projecting the power of his chakra!! The golem is a weapon, just like shuriken throwing stars."

The next names were called . . .

Naruto crossed his arms, "Whoa! Whoa! This is a never-ending freak show!"

"Look who's talking."

Sakura laughed a little, "Good one, Master!!"

Kakashi closed in on Sakura and put his hand on her shoulder. "I don't think you'll be laughing in a minute, Sakura . . ."

"Eh . . .?"

"Look." Kakashi slightly pushed Sakura's face to look in front of her. She gasped.

Haruno Sakura vs. Yamanaka Ino.


	9. Chapter 9

The two Kunoichi stepped down onto the arena to face each other. Their minds were racing and their hearts pounding.

"So, Sakura . . .it's you and me . . .going head to head. I never saw it coming." Ino turned her head to face her right and looked down at the floor. She seemed very confused. She finally looked back up when she heard Sakura pulling something. To Ino's surprise, it was Sakura's headband. She'd gracefully pulled it off as her hair flung from the motion. Ino . . .didn't quite understand.

Sakura continued to stare at her old friend. "Understand this . . .I'm never letting you anywhere near Sasuke."

"What--?!"

"You're not even his type! And I'm not the weak, needy little girl I used to be. You're not even on my radar now."

"Sakura . . .I think you've forgotten who you're talking to! Don't cop an attitude with me, you little crybaby!" Ino was hurt. Angry, but seriously hurt. Suddenly, she got it, she understood. She pulled her headband off from around her waist and fastened it around her forehead along with Sakura. Both glared for a moment at each other, looking regal with the leaf emblems. _**Let's do this . . .fair and square!**_

The both started off in a run toward each other. Sakura put up the Tora, Tiger hand sign, summoning two doppelganger.

Ino got a little annoyed, "This isn't an academy graduation exam, you know. You can't beat me with classic, textbook moves!"

Sakura smirked an evil smirk. _**I'll focus all of my chakra within my feet . . . and then up I go! **_

Ino was shocked. _**She's so fast!!**_

Sakura had gained some impressive speed and punched Ino right in the face and sent her back. "I may have been a crybaby back in the day . . .but who's crying now? Come on, Ino . . .stop holding back. I know you can do better than this!"

The dust began to clear as Ino sat up and rubbed her face where she was punched. She seemed convinced. "If that's the way you want it, fine by me. The gloves are off!!"

Naruto watched from the balcony with Kakashi. He was smiling. "Look at Sakura go! She's awesome!"

Kakashi seemed impressed as well. "Sakura is a solid contender. Her mastery of the fundamental techniques for the utilization of chakra is definitely the best among the rookies."

Slowly turned to Kakashi. "Even better than me?!"

"Uh . . .yeah. The technical art of circulating chakra to every nook and cranny of the body and deploying it with precise timing . . .is an area in which Sakura has surpassed even Sasuke. From the beginning, her mastery of chakra manipulation . . .has been superb."

Sakura started a run for Ino as she did for Sakura. Both attempted a punch but both blocked. They brought their faces closer to each other and growled like angry cats. They jumped away from each other and each threw a shuriken only to have them collide.

The fight continued like that for about ten minutes more. Ino couldn't understand how Sakura got so tough. Sakura kept telling herself she could win. Punch after punch. Hit after hit. Both were panting heavily with scratches and bruises everywhere.

Ino was burning up inside. "You can't be my equal! It's unthinkable!!"

Sakura was smiling now. She loved how she was getting to Ino. It was getting fun. "You're right. The magnitude of your obsession with your long, flowing hair and superficial appearances is peerless . . .I'm just no match for you!"

Ino gasped for the air she was quickly loosing from anger. "Making fun of me?! You've gone too far!" She pulled a kunai out and clenched it in her hand. To everyone's surprise, she took hold of her hair and used the kunai to slashed it off.

Sakura smiled, "Ha ha . . .you fool!"

"YAAAGH!! THIS IS NOTHING!!" Ino screamed her raging battle cry as she threw her hair Sakura's way, scattering it before them. "This ends now. I'm gonna make your lips say, "I give up"!

Ino put her hands in front of her with the Tori, Bird hand sign. Sakura recognized it as, did her teammates. It was the sign she used for her signature jutsu, Shintenshin, a mind transfer technique where all of the users psychic and spiritual energy is released from the user and sent into an opponents body. The users psyche overwhelms the opponents' and the user gains control of the opponent's body. The only problems are that the released energy moves in a straight line and is slow, and that's only if it hits its target. If the energy misses, it can't return to its user's body for a while leaving the body a helpless, lifeless doll until then.

Even so, Ino seemed confident in herself. "What of it?! No one knows what will happen here until I give it a try."

"You'll only get one chance. If you miss, it's over. You know it as well as I do," Sakura remarked with a smirk.

Ino didn't seem to care as she prepared her risky jutsu. Sakura got the notion and started in a run, Ino's strands of hair shifted with the moving of her feet. Ino's comrades could be heard from the balcony calling to her. "No, you fool--!!"

"Ninja Art . . .Shintenshin no Jutsu!! Mind Transfer Technique!!" Sakura moved faster to get out of the way. The tension in the room was high. Suddenly, Ino fell to her knees and Sakura's head hung low. Everyone began to wonder if it had worked or not. "Who's who?"

Sakura suddenly showed signs of life with a devious chuckle. "You lose . . .Ino! Guess you're done."

Sakura felt a tugging at her foot when she tried to move. "Th-This is—!" Ino's hair had wrapped around Sakura's feet and where holding her down.

"Gotcha, Sakura!"

Ino was down on her knees smiling at Sakura. "Heh . . .I set a trap . . .and you fell for it.♥"

"You don't mean--!"

"Yep. The hand sings I made earlier were just a distraction . . .to keep you from seeing the real trap. You zigged, you zagged . . .and you fell right into it! Can't move at all, can you? I made a living rope by running chakra through my own cut hair." She quickly stood. "And now that I've got you where I want you . . .I can take up occupancy . . .and make you surrender. I think the odds are100 I'm gonna hit my target, don't you think?"

Ino prepared her hand sign while Sakura struggled. She finally realized that she really couldn't move. "And so . . .Shintenshin no Jutsu!!" The tension returned again as the same thing seemed to happen again. Ino slumped to her knees and Sakura's head hung low. "To bad . . .Sakura!"

Sakura had lost. Her mind had been taken over by Ino. She was guaranteed to loose now. Ino in Sakura's body rose her hand toward the proctor. "I . . .Haruno Sakura . . .wish to withdraw from the match."

"Don't do it!!! Come on, Sakura!!"

_**Oh, please! Give me a break.**_ Sakura turned her head toward Naruto screaming.

"You've come so far . . .!!!If you let yourself lose now to that crazy Sasuke-chaser . . .you'll be a disgrace to all women!!!"

_**Shut up, you idiot. You can't help her.**_

With the trump of the battle cry, Sakura's hand began to shake. _**What . . .? I feel so cold . . . **_

_**Naruto is so loud! **_Ino could hear Sakura's mind over her own. _**And he's right . . .I can't let this witch beat me!**_

_**Sakura?! But . . .that's crazy . . .**_

The proctor seemed confused. "What's wrong? Are you withdrawing from the match?"

Sakura's inner self, her vicious psyche, pushed Ino's out of the way and took back control of her body. "ARE YOU KIDDING? I'M STAYING IN!!"

The two psyches fought for control in Sakura's head. Sakura's inner self seemed to have a slight advantage, on account of her large size.

Ino had to look up to Sakura now. "But . . .my technique is unbeatable!"

Sakura grabbed the small Ino. She appeared to be a doll in her opponent's hands. "Ino . . .if you don't hurry up and get out of my body, you're gonna regret it!!"

Ino couldn't take it anymore, so she forced herself out of Sakura's body and back into her own. Both regained their own body's quickly and were out of breath. Ino found the strength to speak. "There were two different psyches inside you before I got there! What . . .What on earth are you?!"

"Heh . . .don't you know? Even the sweetest girl needs a hard center, or she's not gonna make it out there!!"

Both found the strength to stand for only last punch. They ran for each other, putting up one last fist. _**This is the end!!!**_

BAMM!!! Both punches hit, both bleeding out of their mouth, both headbands knocked off.

The proctor observed the outcome. "Neither candidate is able to continue. As a result of simultaneous knockouts . . .neither combatant moves past the preliminary round!"

No one really liked the outcome. The bad news was neither won, but the good news was technically neither lost. Kakashi and Ino's sensei, the chain smoker Azuma jumped down to get their girls. They placed them against the wall to rest while their friends rushed over to them. Kakashi shushed them. Both were fast asleep and looked peaceful.

The proctor called for the next match. "The seventh match of the preliminaries . . .TenTen against Temari. Please step forward.

TenTen's teammates watched her intently. Neji crossed his arms at the sight of Temari. "Hey, look . . .another candidate from the Land of Sand. This should be fun!"

"YEAH, TENTEN! GO!!" Lee was jumping up and down and kept screaming.

The proctor told them to begin. During the fight, Sakura and Ino woke and congratulated each other, then started arguing again. Lee and Guy kept cheering TenTen on while annoying everyone else.

In that short time, the match was over and everything was quiet. Neji was disturbed. "She shut down TenTen's weapon attack like it was nothing!"

Lee was wider eyed than usual. "Impossible!!"

"How dull . . .it's a shame, really." Temari watched the blood trickle down TenTen's face. She was laying on her back at the top of the long metal object Temari was holding. There were weapons all over the floor, any and all weapons that you could think of.

"The winner of the seventh round match . . .is Temari!!"

After the proctors words were heard, Temari smirked an evil smile. Luckily Lee noticed and jumped down just in time to catch TenTen after she was thrown off of the metal weapon. "Nice catch!"

"What's wrong with?! That's not how you treat a worthy opponent . . .especially not one you've just defeated!!"

"Oh, shut up! Get yourself and that loser out of my way."

Lee glared at the Suna Kunoichi and jumped for her with his Konoha Hurricane. Temari quickly stopped the kick with her weapon, greatly surprising Lee. "Hah! Just as I thought . . .you're not so fast, after all!"

Guy jumped down to his hotheaded student. "That's enough, Lee!"

"Master Guy . . .!" Lee seemed a bit sad.

Gaara had gotten quite annoyed with his sister. "Temari . . .get back up here! You've already been declared the winner . . .how long do you intend to trifle with that homely prince charming?"

Lee glared at Gaara, hurt, but Gaara only met eyes with him. Gaara didn't think Lee was worth it. Guy came over to his distressed student and put his hand on his shoulder. "My dear friends from Sand . . .if you don't mind, I'd like to offer a word of advice . . ." His words caught Kankuro's and even Gaara's attention. "Be prepared. You have no idea . . .how strong this boy really is."

Gaara's eyes widened full of intent to kill. Lee and Guy returned to their spot and Temari returned to her younger brothers. The next names were called, Nara Shikamaru vs Kin Tsuchi.

Shikamaru wasn't very happy, but then again, he never seemed to be. "This is such a nuisance. And how embarrassing . . .being expected to fight a girl . . ."

Kin was a pretty girl with long black hair almost down to her ankles with a bow tied at the end. Her headband was on her forehead and she whore the traditional Sound uniform. "If that's the way you feel, I'll put you out of your misery quickly!"

"Begin!!"

Shikamaru quickly prepared for his jutsu. He'd fought this girl and her team with his team in The Forest of Death trying to protect Sasuke's team, but he'd never seen what she could do. "Well, this is all I've got! "Ninja Art: Kagemane no Jutsu! Shadow Imitation Technique!"

Shikamaru's shadow extended and headed for Kin. "Just a one-trick pony . . .how lame! All I've got to do is keep an eye on your shadow's movements . . .piece of cake!!"

Kin threw two needles toward Shikamaru. He dodged and got a good look at them. They had bells attached at the end.

"What a tired old trick! I suppose next you'll be flinging your needles in two groupings, with and without bells . . .to mislead me into thinking I'm safe once I've dodged the ones I can hear . . .until the silent ones perforate me . . .right?!" _**All I have to do is evade the silent, phantom needles. Once I've mastered the pattern, if I'm careful, I can do it!**_

Shikamaru stopped, he heard the ching of the bells behind him. He turned to look and realized they had strings attached to them. _**Aw, crap . . .!!**_

Kin pulled the strings again and Shikamaru realized what was happening. _**She . . .she's pulling strings to ring the bells . . .! She's mocking me!!**_

"Too late!!" Kin threw three more needles that stabbed Shikamaru and sent him back. "Once I mastered how to avoid your shadow, you never stood a chance! Now for the coup de grace!" Kin stopped and realized she couldn't move.

"Okay . . .time to deploy my shadow possession technique . . ."

"How?! Your shadow is nowhere insight!"

"You still don't get it, do you?"

"No way--!"

"Yes, you idiot! Such delicate little threads, so high up . . .there's no way they could cast shadows! Whereas I can make my own shadows as big as I wish . . .or as small . . .within limits." Kin saw what he was talking about as the little strings of the shadows grew and materialized to combine her shadow with his. "Those delicate filaments of darkness are mine, all mine . . .tailored to fit . . .and attached to you!"

His movements were hers and no matter how much she struggled, she did whatever he did. He quickly pulled out a shuriken and she did the same. "Don't be an idiot. While we're locked into this mimicry, any injury done to me . . .will hurt you, too!"

"Tell me something I don't know!"

"Aw . . .you wouldn't--!!"

"It's a head-to-head shuriken attack. I doubt you'll hold up for long."

"No . . .! You fool!!"

Both threw the shuriken they were holding. The shuriken came closer and closer and it looked like both were gonna take the hit, but just then, Shikamaru ducked backwards. Kin believed he was just bluffing, when she hit her head on the back wall, knocking her unconscious.

"Heh heh heh . . .one down."

Kin's body flopped down lifeless.

"A shinobi uses everything to his advantage . . .including the terrain . . .and the architecture, as well. You were locked into the same movements as I . . .but only one of us was close enough to the wall to give herself a concussion!"

"The winner is Nara Shikamaru!"

Kin was taken by the medics to take care of her concussion. Everyone was pretty interested in the fight and some were screaming about it. When everything went quiet the next names were selected.

Hyosue vs Kotomine Kirei

"All right, I'm next." Hyosue was as calm and collected as ever.

"Jeez, Hyosue. Why aren't you more excited about this? Are you sure you're my brother?!" Hyoue was as fiery and ill-tempered as ever.

"Of course you're my brother, Hyoue. What, you think someone used a Face-changing jutsu on you so you'd look like me?"

"No, I'm not that stupid, Brother! Someone obviously used a Face-changing jutsu on you so you'd look like me!"

Kero began to laugh hysterically at her friends' stupidity. Hyosue probably truly believed at that moment that Hyoue wasn't his real brother.

Hyosue jumped down toward his opponent called Kirei. He wore glasses and his eyes were narrow. He seemed intelligent enough.

"Begin."

"I do not believe that this fight will turn out well for you. If you are as intelligent as you seem, you will surrender now." Kirei adjusted his glasses.

"I seem intelligent? Well, I was just thinking the same thing about you." Hyosue was very pleased at the complement.

"Then will you except my offer?'

"I'm afraid I'll have to decline."

"Very well then." Kirei performed two hand signs, Nezumi, Rat and Ryu, Dragon. When he was done, he sat down cross-legged with his eyes closed holding The Rat sign. All was silent and Hyosue didn't move.

"Pawn to G4." A warrior of some kind appeared out of nowhere and slashed Hyosue's arm. "What the hell?!"

"Knight to F2." A Knight in thick armor appeared to damage to his other arm.

"What is Hyosue doing down there?!"

"Hyoue, please. Give him some time. He's just figuring out how to beat this guy." Kero used calm, encouraging words but deep down she felt the same as Hyoue.

"King to F3." A great tall man appeared with a huge sword and stabbed Hyosue in the stomach.

"Hyosue!!!" The two called to their friend over and over but he did not answer. When Hyosue finally got up, Kirei was standing with a small smirk. "And now for the final blow. Queen to F3."

A beautiful woman in a long flowing dress and curly hair stood before him, with a dagger in her hand. "This is my Queen, the most powerful warrior in my arsenal. No one has ever defeated her." The Queen stood before him with her dagger at the ready. She swung with graceful movements and quick so as not to catch the eye, just as the other blows had been. But the sound heard was not that of ripping flesh, but that of metal hitting metal. Hyosue had used a kunai to stop the knife.

"H-How is that possible?! How did you stop my Queen?!!"

"It was very simple really. The movements were too fast to see, but I noticed that the first blow came to my right, than the second to my left. The third hit my stomach but the pressure was derived from the right, so I guessed that the Queen's blow would come from the left. It appears I was right."

In a flash, Hyosue was in front of Kirei. He grabbed his hands as they were about to leave his hand sign. Hyosue forced Kirei's arms behind Kirei's back, forcing him to bend over a bit, then Hyosue kneed him in the face, knocking him out. "You're quite good with chess. Perhaps we could play some time."

"The winner is Hyosue."

Hyosue jumped back up to his team as they ran around congratulating him. "Yeah ya friggin' bastard! I knew you were gonna win!" Hyoue was shaking him back and forth.

"Yay, Hyosue!!!" Kero had wrapped her arms around Hyosue's neck.

The next names were called. Hyoue vs Hotaruzuka Otoko

"RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"

"Well, isn't that lucky?" Kero stayed calm as she watched the second twin scream for victory.

Hyoue jumped down to meet his opponent Otoko, an equally large man as the one Kero had fought. "You and you're group really seem to enjoy Taijutsu. I guess I'll just have to beat the hell outta you!"

"Begin!"

Otoko threw a punch and hit Hyoue in the face. Once to his left check, then again to his right, knocking him down. Hyoue quickly got up. "So that's the kinda fight it's gonna be."

Otoko got extremely pissed off and picked Hyoue up. "You wanna stay down." A quick toss and Hyoue was against the wall. He rolled toward Otoko and when he was in feet of him, Otoko kicked Hyoue in the ribs twice. "You want to stay down!"

Otoko started to walk away when Hyoue shot up as if nothing had happened. Otoko was furious, "Get back down and fucking stay down!! I promise you, you want to stay down!!!"

Hyoue started some stretches for his back. "Deadly punch for a fat fucker, you know that?"

"Cheeky bastard!!" Otoko took to Hyoue from behind, grabbing his upper shirt collar and shirt hem to throw him again. Hyoue still didn't seem to be affected by it. He just pulled his legs up and popped a few things, then jumped back up.

"Get back down, or you will not be coming up next time!" Hyoue continued to stretch, touching his toes and rotating his back.

"Oh forget this. You've lost. I'm getting outta here."

"Don't take one more step!" Hyoue turned to his opponent, highly insulted. "We don't finish till the job's done!" He gestured for Otoko to come forward. "Come on!"

Otoko rushed Hyoue with a balled fist. Hyoue stopped the fist, pulled it down and punched Otoko, knocking him down. He didn't get up.

"Winner, Hyoue!"


	10. Chapter 10

A hush fell over the room when the next names were called.

Kazuken Shira vs Issei Ryudo

There were little whispers everywhere now. Not so much from the students, but the teachers had something to talk about. "Kazuken?! She's a Kazuken?!! She must be the last of her clan. I thought they were all dead?" Shira became extremely annoyed with all the insolent comments she and her teammates could hear. She moved center stage and all lights were on her as the crowd milked her annoyance even more.

Her opponent was also a Sound Ninja just like Izonza's was, but because of all the stupid people, she hadn't really had time to enjoy it. Her opponent was tall but not much of him was seen. He was wrapped in several layers of clothing. But he did have very nice color of eyes. They were a very pretty green.

"Make this a good challenge won't you? I hope you won't disappoint me." Shira shifted her weight to her left side and put her hand on her hip.

"Oh, you don't need to worry about me. If anyone here should be worried about disappointing, it should be you." Ryudo balled his hand in a fist and shook it violently and Shira.

"Begin."

Shira wasted no time in preparing for the match. A sound ninja deserved to see a proper fight from her. With that decided, she assumed a unique fighting style. She spread her feet about 3 ½ ft. apart. Her hands were up yet not fully extended with her fingers curled slightly to look a bit like claws. Her right hand held up in front of her but a little to the right while her left was lower and closer to her left hip.

Few recognized the stance, one being Kakashi. Sakura, wanting to know anything and everything made herself known to her sensei. "Kakashi Sensei, what type of fighting style is that? I've never seen it before."

Kakashi sighed for a moment before he answered her question. "That, Sakura, is a long forgotten fighting style called Wolf Claw."

"Wolf Claw?" Sakura was interested. Naruto heard the conversation Sakura was having with Kakashi, so he looked up for a moment.

"It is a very difficult style to master because it is the most modern style of Jujutsu."

Naruto looked at Kakashi with his usual "Mr. Fox Face" look. "Kakashi Sensei, what's Jujutsu?"

"Naruto are you that stupid?!"

"No!"

"Uhhh! Jujutsu or more properly Jujutsu Ryu, is basically a style that combines all or at the very least most of the styles of martial arts and all fighting techniques such as throwing, trapping, locking, holding, grappling, gouging, disengagements, punching, and kicking. Because it takes so much to master it, not many have and others have given it up. It's very rare to find someone who still uses it, let alone has mastered it."

"Yes Sakura that's correct, but there's one family who has mastered it. And that is the Kazuken family."

Sakura remembered when the score board showed the names and the girl's had been Kazuken. "Are these Kazukens great warriors or something?"

Kakashi took in another long sigh. "Yes, some of the finest and most powerful. They were the most elite clan in Getsuei and the most vicious. Their strength was great and beastlike as was most of the ninja in Getsuei. All the warriors there had special ties with wolves and used their observations from wolves to build most of their fighting techniques. The Kazukens were also feared for their Kekkei Genkai, the Bizengan."

"Bizengan? Sounds like the Sharingan?" Sakura noted.

"No one is sure if the Bizengan was derived from the Sharingan or anything else. We've just come to the conclusion that it's a coincidence that they sound similar. But it's different from most."

"How so?"

"Most Kekkei Genkai are used in battle and are useful attacks. But the Bizengan has no use in battle unless you were trying to break down a weak hearted person."

"Break down—what is it, what does it do?!"

"It is a third eye that appears on the user's forehead like a triclops. It is a spiritual eye that is good and pure. Like those born under the sign of Leo, their birthstone is a Peridot to contradict the Leo's vicious nature. The Bizengan can calm people in rage and allows the user to become more spiritual and speak to nature. Kazuken are some of our most modern Priests. At least, they used to be."

"What do you mean Kakashi Sensei?"

"Well, that's the troubling part. The Kazukens were said to have died out after . . .after Getsuei was destroyed."

Sakura saw the chance she'd been waiting for, and took it. "I've been wondering about that Kakashi Sensei, the destruction of Getsuei thing. What really happened to the Moon Village?!!"

Kakashi seemed to have been expecting such a question from his inquisitive Sakura and knew she expected the whole story. "Well, as you may know, rumors spread about two years ago that there was a great weapon in Getsuei one so powerful that it was capable of taking over all the villages in one hour. The rumors started because of an immense explosion of white light that could be seen from the island country. The rumors reached village after village and an army of the finest ninja were sent to find the weapon and destroy it. The villagers refused to cooperate so a war broke out and all were killed. But . . .that is only the part they want people to know. The truth is that Otogakure took interest in the weapon and spread the rumors that it could destroy all in an hour. When these were established, the ninja of Oto went from village to village asking for an army to destroy Getsuei. They banded an army together but they found no trace of any weapon. Hostages were taken and people were killed but still, no weapon was found. The hostages were questions and killed one after another until everyone was dead. The sound ninja slipped up and we found out that they had spread all the rumors of the destruction in one hour conspiracy and they were put to death for fraud. We believed that all of the Getsuei ninja were dead but it looks like there're still three left."

Sakura couldn't speak. It was such a shock to the system. The story they didn't want people to know. No wonder it was kept a secret. _**That must be why they're so brutal to the Sound ninja!**_

"Are you just gonna stand there all day you little fool?!" Ryudo was becoming highly irritated. "If you won't move, I'll come to you!"

"Don't bother."

Shira's voice was as cold and evil as ever. After her words, she disappeared in a flash and could not be seen. Ryudo might've broken his neck from the way he turned and turned to try to find her. When he started to believe she had just vanished, he felt a blow to his face and flew back. Everyone was amazed and wondered where the blow had come from. Ryudo stood back up and continued to look around until he felt another blow to the back of his head, again knocking him down. He quickly got back up again and tried to stay calm, closing his eyes and trying to hear her, but it is useless as another blow connected with his shoulder. Several more were felt, one after another all over his body.

The room was amazed. Lee was most interested in her speed. _**Her speed, it matches my own at full capacity, perhaps even greater!**_

Ryudo continued to be bombarded by attacks with a final one to his stomach. He fell to he knees and started coughing up blood. Shira appeared after her last hit and jumped away from him. "This is boring. I don't have time to waist on a fool like you."

As Ryudo got to his feet Shira rushed him. "Kazuken Ryu Advanced Exercise 15th Degree . . . Katanaresu Kasumeru! Bladeless Skim!" Shira rushed him with a sweep-kick. During the moment when he was in the air before he fell, while Shira was still on the ground, she rolled on her side, threw her leg up and kicked Ryudo in the stomach, sending him back. Ryudo fell and didn't get up. A closer look would've shown the torrents of blood pouring out of his mouth. Shira started to walk away when Ryudo stood up, hanging over at first like a zombie.

"I thought I killed you?"

"It's my armor. It absorbs any impact that I receive, like a thick cloth that absorbs sound. Well, now that I know how strong you are, I think I'll start to fight seriously!"

"You already had your chance to make an interesting fight and you missed it!" Shira drew out her katana from her side and held it at the ready. "Tetsu Tentou! Iron Heaven!" She ran straight for him with her god-like speed and stopped behind him. For a moment he stood there and laughed and laughed. He split in half, blood poured and sprayed everywhere but still he laughed with what seemed to be no end. He stopped his own laughter when he realized he was dead. He stayed standing for a short time but he fell while Shira slid her katana back at her side.

"Winner Kazuken Shira!"

The medics rushed over. They seemed to be expecting Shira to kill him from the way Izonza had. Everything was prepared, the stretcher, the vitals, the fluids, even a life support system. Shira turned her head slightly toward them. "It's not worth your time to try to revive a dead man. I sliced threw three of the main eight vital organs, the brain, the heart, and the lungs. I don't think he's going to come back."

The medics moved the body and did their best to quickly clean up the blood.

The Hokage had watched the shinobi of the Sand and believed that they were truly fearsome. Now, he believed the same of the shinobi of the Moon. Fearsome and brutal.

Kiba realized now that his match was going to be soon. He started to count down the remaining possible opponents. _**The only ones who haven't competed yet are me, Hinata, Naruto, two of the Sound ninja . . .Choji, Neji and Lee . . .and that guy from the Sand and that girl from the Moon . . .please just don't let it be the girl from the Moon and the Sand guy . . .!**_

The next names. Uzumaki Naruto vs Inuzuka Kiba.

"Well, it's about time!! Thanks for being patient, everyone! I'm gonna make this worth your wait!" Naruto was full of energy as usual.

"Oh, yesss! Thank you! Thank you! We can take this guy, Akamaru!!!" Kiba yelled while Akamaru trumpeted along with his hyper master with several barks.

"The twelfth round battle!! Uzumaki Naruto versus Inuzuka Kiba!"

"WOOHOO!!" We lucked out, Akamaru! This fight is as good as won!!!"

"Don't be so cocky, you jerk!" Naruto didn't really like Kiba that much. When they were kids they both got in trouble a lot but Kiba was so annoying to Naruto. To him, he was nothing more than a tattooed idiot with a scrawny mutt. "Hey, Kiba!! Send your little puppy dog home!! C'mon . . .he'll get in our way!"

"Whatever! Akamaru fights with me, like always." Kiba knelt down on one knee and pet his little angry, barking pooch.

"Aw, man . . .you're kidding, right? Is that allowed?" Naruto looked to the proctor while pointing to the dog

"The rules are clear. Animals and insects used as part of a ninja's art . . .the same as any other weapons and tools."

Naruto seemed disappointed then decided to "Twist the Knife" a little. "Hmph! Fine. I do my best work with a little handicap, anyway!"

"Who does he think he is? Two can play at that game! Sit this one out, Akamaru. I'll handle him alone." Kiba pat his little winning puppy's head and gestured him to move. Kiba remembered how pathetic Naruto had been back at the academy. He knew there was absolutely no way Naruto would stand a chance against him. He promised Naruto that it would be over quickly. "Ninja Art of Beast Mimicry!!! Down on All Fours Technique!" Kiba's nails extended to that of an animal and his bones readjusted so that he could move like a dog. He hopped toward Naruto and slammed him to send him flying back. "He's down for the count already, Sir!"

Everyone expected it. Not so much that Kiba would win, more so that Naruto would loose. Everyone doubted the screw-up ninja except his team. Sakura looked at Kakashi with a smirk while he smiled at her. Naruto slowly stood with a little blood spilling out of his mouth. Everyone especially Kiba was amazed to see Naruto stand. "Don't underestimate me!!!"

"You talk pretty big for someone who's bleeding all over the place. Would you just surrender already?!"

"Don't you get it? I let you pound me . . .so I could find out what you're made of!! You're so high on yourself . . .you just go ahead and fight me alone, or with your dog, or any other way you want!"

Kiba was furious "Get him, Akamaru!!" Kiba rushed Naruto with Akamaru at his side. He pulled out a smoke bomb and threw it in front of Naruto. Naruto couldn't see a thing no matter where he moved. He decided he needed to get away when he felt several blows to his body. He tried to run out of the smoke only to find Akamaru in the air with his mouth wide open. Naruto put his arm in front of his face to protect it from Akamaru's huge mouth and sharp teeth that bit into Naruto's arm. Naruto fell back into the smoke while Kiba watched from a distance. When the smoke cleared out of the way, Naruto was laying on the ground with Akamaru sitting next to him."

"All right! I did it!! NICE!!" Akamaru ran back to his excited master. "Good one, Aka—!" Kiba stopped short as his precious Akamaru bit him. Kiba looked distraught with the feel of his beloved friend sinking his fangs into Kiba's arm. "Gotcha! ARF!!" Naruto appeared in a puff of smoke. He had used Henge no Jutsu, The Art of Transformation to take the form of Kiba's dog.

"Damnit! I let my guard down!! Where's Akamaru?!" Naruto quickly let go of Kiba's arm stating he tasted like a dog, then spitting several times over and over. A Shadow Clone stood on the side holding a whining Akamaru up by his front paws.

"I guess you've gotten stronger, eh . . .? So this time, I'm not holding back!!" Kiba snarled.

"Oh yeah? Then . . .right back atcha!" Naruto cocked a little smile.

"I mean it, Naruto. No holds barred . . .no mercy!" Kiba reached in his pouch and pulled out a small red pill and flicked it to Akamaru. He ate it willingly as his fur began to turn red and he got a bit bigger. He jumped out of the clones hands and landed by his master's side. Kiba also ate one of the red pills. They were Military Rations Pellets, used as a medicine that distributes the users chakra uniformly to every part of the body, making it functional as an animal's does. Akamaru jumped on Kiba's back and prepared a jutsu along with Kiba.

"Jujin Bunshin! Man-Beast Doppelgangers!" Kiba looked different, vicious, like a wild animal chock full of rabies and so did Akamaru who had transformed into the vicious Kiba. Both jumped for Naruto and used Shikyaku no Jutsu on him, cutting him deeply and sending him back flying. Both were extremely fast and powerful with inhuman sharp claws. Naruto was bombarded several more times with the Shikyaku and received several more cuts but was able to dodge a few.

Kiba decided it was time to end it. "Take this! Man-Beast ultimate Taijutsu!" Both he and Akamaru their spun bodies around together like a DNA strand. With a quick turn they uncoiled and created huge funnel clouds around themselves, sharp and dangerous, slashing their opponent in an X formations. "Gatsuuga! Fang Over Fang!" Naruto couldn't evade and was hit by the attack, falling to the ground, bloody, battered, and appeared to be beaten.

"This perfectly illustrates the difference between our levels of strength." The funnel clouds disappeared after the attack was done and both Kiba and Akamaru slid to a stop by grinding their claws into the floor. Naruto had been coughing up blood since he fell and kept on doing so. Fair Hinata watched from the balcony, wanting to cheer on her crush but not wanting to upset Kiba who was her teammate, so she kept quiet. She winced in pain for every blow Naruto took. Kiba started to run off his mouth again, insulting Naruto for his dream of Hokage. He dug his own grave when he yelled that he would become Hokage instead. To everyone's amazement, Naruto again stood up to face his animal of an opponent.

"If you try to come between me . . .and the title of Hokage . . .you'll whimper . . .like a whipped dog!!!" Naruto's voice had become a bit scratchy, making him sound more serious and determined than ever, and a bit scary.

Kiba and Akamaru rushed Naruto again. Confident that he would get him this time, Kiba unleashed his Gatsuuga once more, but Naruto was able to dodge despite the remaining difficulty. Suddenly, the light bulb went off in his head. He used Henge no Jutsu and turned himself into Kiba. When the dust began to clear, all three Kibas stared at each other confused. Naruto believed that the two real ones, Kiba and Akamaru, wouldn't be able to tell the difference between each other but Kiba wasn't fooled. He punched one of the look-alikes in the face and knocked him back. Like Izonza and her team, Kiba's senses were acute as well. Unlike Izonza, he needed to focus chakra into his nose to be able to achieve such a peak, Izonza and the others merely trained to reach it. Kiba believed he had won when the one he punched turned into Akamaru. Kiba, outraged and confused turned to the one behind him and punched him, only to have him turn into Akamaru as well.

Kakashi watched, very pleased. _**A prank worthy of my little practical joker! **_

Kiba realized he'd been tricked. Naruto had been the one he'd punched the first time, but he'd used Henge no Jutsu again to transform into Akamaru. It was too late for Kiba. As soon as he turned to face where Naruto had landed, a foot was in Kiba's face.

Everyone was amazed at the way Naruto was fighting. No one had every expected him to be this good. "When did Naruto get so smart?!"

Kiba picked himself up and rubbed his face where Naruto had kicked him. Akamaru, hurt as well, lay next to him which make Kiba even more furious. "You little jerk!"

Naruto began to rant, calling Kiba a fool, causing Kiba to growl at him. _**This verbal wrangling is totally pointless!! I can't let him set the pace. Got to center myself . . . Remain calm. **_To remain calm, Kiba bit his hand, forcing his crimson blood to pour down like a small soft stream. With a HMPH he pulled out eight shuriken which he held in between his fingers.

" Finally taking me seriously, eh, Kiba? Well there's a new killer move I've been practicing that should end this fast!!" Naruto placed his hands together in the Tora, Tiger sign and several other to prepare for his new technique.

"I don't recognize the technique, but--!! All I have to do is keep you from releasing it!!!" Kiba threw all eight of the Shuriken Naruto's way. Naruto looked like a rabbit on steroids, hopping, ducking, and jumping over all of them. Kiba rushed Naruto while he was distracted using his Shikyaku no Jutsu once more. Naruto tried to complete his technique but it was too late, Kiba was right behind him, bearing his fierce fangs and claws. Suddenly . . .Naruto farted . . .right in Kiba's face. Kiba fell back, screaming in pain and agony. Kiba's sense of smell was ten times sharper than any average human so this was ten times worse than any torture imaginable. Shira, Mayuri, and Izonza's sharp senses picked it up as well, not as badly as Kiba had, but still. Kero picked a bit of it up as well, made obvious by her hair standing on end.

Sakura's battle cry snapped Naruto out of his daze. "Kage Bushin no Jutsu! Art of the Shadow Doppelganger!!" He summoned four clones of himself. "It's time to repay all the abuse I've taken up 'til now!!!" The clones rushed Kiba all from different directions. The one right in front of Kiba punched him, knocking him back a bit while the real Naruto jumped up in the air. "U!!" The clones on the sides kicked upward, sending Kiba in the air. "ZU!" "MA!" "KI!" Kiba sailed up in the air with the real Naruto above with his foot suspended above him. When Kiba was close enough, Naruto swung his foot down. "Naruto Barrage!!" Kiba's face smacked the floor, hard with blood splatter. The crowd was silent and the clones vanished, as the proctor checked Kiba. "And the winner is Uzumaki Naruto!"

Naruto made his way up the stairs to his team when he happened by Hinata. _**Should I . . .shouldn't I . . .?**_ She held a small container that she fiddled with while she decided what to do. "N . . .Naruto . . ." Naruto stopped to look at her. If he'd have been any closer to her, she might've knocked the wind out of him when she shoved the container his way.

Naruto knelt over to examine the container, almost sniffing it. "What's that stuff?"

"An ointment . . .for wounds." Hinata's sensei, Kurenai had noticed the way Hinata was acting and saw the little blush in her checks.

"For me . . .? Why . . .?" Naruto didn't get it, but Hinata could only stare at him, not able to say anything.

Kurenai noticed this as well. "Just take it from her, Naruto!"

"Uh . . .okay! Thanks. You're a good guy, Hinata!" He took the ointment from her with a smile, and she happily and thankfully smiled back.

Without her knowing, a pair of hateful eyes were burned on Hinata. Eyes that belonged to that of Neji. "Well . . .aren't you looking carefree . . ." _**Lady Hinata?**_

The medics quickly picked Kiba up to take him to the infirmary so Hinata rushed just as quickly to meet them before they left. "Uh . . .um . . .This is a healing salve . . .for Kiba and Akamaru . . ."

"Nice of you to worry about everyone else . . .but save some of that concern for yourself! There are only eight of you left . . .you, Choji, Neji, Lee, two of the Sound ninja . . .and that guy from the Sand and that girl from the Moon. If they pair you off against that Sand ninja or the Moon girl . . .withdraw immediately! And not just them! The same thing goes for Neji. If you have to face him, don't fight. Forfeit. He's so cruel to you . . .you'd be torn to pieces . . ." Hinata looked sadly at the realization that the concern of her teammate Kiba was right.

"Well then . . .the next match will be . . ."

Hinata sadly turned towards the scoreboard only to be scared out of her mind. Hyuga Hinata vs Hyuga Neji.

Both came down to face each other.

"I never dreamed we'd find ourselves fighting each other . . .Lady Hinata." Neji may have said so, but his tone didn't suggest he was unhappy.

"Neji . . .Big Brother . . ." Hinata seemed so worried.

"Hunh?! She's his sister?!"

Kakashi explained that both were from the oldest and most illustrious family of Konoha, the Hyuga Clan, but not brother and sister, more like cousins. Lee finished it of with explaining that Hinata was from the Main Branch of the family, while Neji was from one of the cadet branches, only the branches had been having issues the last few years. "The first generation of the Hyuga clan . . .made all sorts of rules and decrees that favored the main branch of the family . . .in order to preserve the family line and retain the purity of their blood. It's said that members of the cadet branch still burn with anger and humiliation."

"Well . . .please begin the match!"

Neji shifted his stance a bit. "Before we begin . . .there's something I have to point out to Lady Hinata." Hinata looked up confused.

"You're not cut out to be a shinobi. Withdraw from the match! You're all sweetness and light . . .a peacemaker not a trouble-maker. You're easily led, not a leader."

Hinata sadly looked away from her cruel cousin.

"And you have no self-confidence. You've got a world-class inferiority complex . . .so I know you'd have been more comfortable and content staying at the genin level. But applicants for the higher-level chunin selection exam must compete as a trio . . .and you couldn't bear to let your teammates down. The truth is, your participation has been reluctant from the start . . ."

"N . . .No . . .you're wrong. I . . .I really . . ." Hinata searched deep inside to express the way she felt, the right words to defend herself. " . . .wanted to change that about myself. So, of my own volition, I . . ."

"Lady Hinata . . .you're the sheltered little baby of the main branch, aren't you? A leopard doesn't change its spots. A failure always fails. And a weak personality won't become strong."

Naruto became extremely angered at the way Neji was treating Hinata. _**That jerk . . .!**_

"It's precisely because of the unchanging nature of humankind that differences between people when they're born . . .it's why we've coined terms like "Elite" and "Failure." It doesn't matter who you are. We're all judged on the basis of our looks, our intelligence, our talent, or our personalities . . .just as we judge others in their turn. Yes, it's a form of discrimination. And the factors that it's based on don't change. We have no choice . . .we must live within the boundaries set for us by the judgments of others. It's as unchangeable . . .as the fact that I'm of the cadet branch of the family . . .and you're a member of the main branch."

Naruto became angrier and angrier after every passing word.

Mayuri hid her face with her thick black bangs, but her teammates could still see her anger. "Stupid Hyugas! Stupid Hyugas!! Stupid Hyugas!!!"

Izonza felt a tickle on her spine. "Shira, she's at it again! Can't you feel that?! We gotta calm her down!!"

"Don't worry so much. She won't let her anger get too out of control."

"Yeah, normally! But this is a Hyuga we're talking about now. There's no way she can control her anger when it comes to a Hyuga!"

"We'll just keep and eye on her, okay?"

Neji's words hurt Hinata deeply. She looked sadder and sadder after every little thing he said and he wouldn't stop, he kept on talking. "I've seen through many things with this All-Seeing Byakugan Eye . . .and so I know . . .this courage you're displaying is just a bluff! In the truest, deepest part of your heart, you're desperate to run away from here right now."

"N . . .No . . .I really want to . . ." Hinata stopped and looked up, to see a glaring Byakugan staring her in the face. She averted her gaze to the upper left, then her lower right, and brought her hands up to closer to her front.

"My eyes can't be deceived. Just now, to escape my stare . . .you averted your own eyes . . .glancing towards the upper left, it signaled your recall of a past experience . . .one that brought you pain. When you subsequently glanced to the lower right . . .it indicated that you were envisioning physical and mental agony. In other words . . .you recalled your own previous experiences and based upon those memories . . .you imagined the outcome of this match. You foresaw . . .your own defeat!! Even now, as you bring your arms up in front of your body as if to shield yourself . . .your body is signaling your desire to raise a wall between us . . .to create some distance from me. You implore me to come no further, to peer no more deeply into the innermost secrets of your heart . . .because everything I have said so far has been right on target! In addition . . ."

The inner-demon inside Naruto resonated with his further growing anger.

Mayuri's eyes seemed to glaze over, making them seem darker and emptier.

"The way you're touching your lip . . .it's another of those tender intimate behaviors that expresses the agitation in your heart . . .it's a defensive reflex . . .an attempt to ease your own anxieties and doubts . . ." Hinata's breathing increased and she started to breath heavily. Her eyes became shinny and glossy. "It's completely clear . . .whether you admit it or not, that you are aware . . ." Her eyes seemed to spill over her face as her bitter tears ran down her face. " . . .that you can never change yourself!"

"Yes, she can!!!!"

Hinata and Neji turned toward the loud disturbance. Naruto was screaming. "You can't just arbitrarily decide these things about other people, you fool! Show him, Hinata! Beat up this idiot!"

The water in her eyes seemed to vanish. "Naruto . . ."

"Come on, Hinata. At lease talk back to him!! Just hearing him has made me mad, and it's you who has to fight him!"

Hinata's eyes shaded over and she looked to the ground at her feet. _**Naruto . . .**_

Neji looked away from Naruto as well, thinking about how annoying he was, when Hinata looked back up toward her harsh cousin with a whole new side to her, a confident, proud appearance. _**Thank you.**_

Neji was surprised by the sudden change. _**The look in her eyes is different now . . . **_"So you're not going to withdraw . . .? Then I won't be responsible for what happens here."

Hinata looked away from Neji for a moment, but it was only to give her time to summon her own Byakugan. "I don't want to run anymore! Big Brother Neji . . .let's fight."

"Okay then . . ."

Both took to the same stance, the Hyuga Clan's Juken, Gentle Fist Ryu. They both rushed each other to employ a large series of attacks on each other consisting of karate chops and open palm moves. No one was really getting anywhere at first. It was mostly just block, dodge, attack, etc.

Finally, Hinata saw an opening and landed a hit on Neji's side. Only appearing to be a scratch, the point of the Gentle Fist Ryu was to hit the Keirakukei, small veins in the body through which the chakra flows which are intertwined around the vital organs. An attack to the Keirakukei would do great damage to the organs as well.

Hinata found another opening under Neji's arm, pushing him further back. Naruto continued to scream and cheer for her as she fought. Hinata saw it, the perfect way to end the match. Neji had left his chest unprotected for a moment so she went for it. Neji saw it but it might've been too late. POW!!! Everyone heard the attack, but Neji's back was to the audience so no one could see what had happened.

Hinata felt a painful throb in her chest and started coughing up blood. Neji had hit her in the chest, but also poked his fore and middle finger into her arm, above the main artery. "So this is the full extent . . .of the main branch's strength?"

Hinata wasn't ready to give up. She pushed Neji's hand away from her chest and pushed her open palm toward his face, but he stopped it, and again poked her but underneath her arm. They both stood there for a moment staring at each other. Neji, despite Hinata's confusion, clenched her hoodi sleeve and rolled it up. Her arm was covered in little sores, a little like chicken pox. It turned out, from the beginning, Neji had been able to see the Tenketsu, small little chakra points that sit along the Keirakukei and if you can hit them you can stop the opponents chakra flow or increase it. The ability to detect them, let alone in the heat of battle, is remarkable.

Neji pushed Hinata away and watched her slide back on the floor. Neji started to speak again, his silly little sad sob words of Hinata's inevitable defeat. He then asked her to withdraw again, but to his surprise, she stood up to face him instead.

"I . . .n . . .never . . . .go back on my word. Because that's . . .my shinobi way, too!" She had a little difficulty breathing, and was taking breaks in her sentences to catch her breath almost the whole time. Suddenly, her chest throbbed again and she coughed up even more blood. Naruto cheered for Hinata again bringing the look of strength back in her eyes. Neji had blocked her chakra flow, so she could no longer hurt his Keirakukei, but still she rushed him, trying her best to deal some damage. She was on the offensive the whole time, while Neji easily blocked all of her attacks. But she really wanted to prove her worth, so she kept trying. She tried for his shoulder, but Neji knocked her hand down, shoving his palm in her face forcing her back a bit, but she still rushed again. Hinata admired Naruto so much, so much that she watched him all the time. Now he was watching her. She tried one more attack, but Neji did as well, forcing more chakra into her chest. She slowly fell to the floor and fainted.

"Seeing as the match cannot go on, I—"

"Don't stop it!!"

Sakura started to yell at Naruto's seemingly stupidity but she stopped, when she, and everyone else, wide eyed, saw Hinata standing up. Neji seemed disturbed as a bead of sweat rolled down his face. " . . .Why are you getting up? If you push too far, you really will die . . ."

Why? Why is right. Why push yourself like this Hinata? Why nearly kill yourself like this when you know you've lost. Well . . .the answer is simple. Hinata admired Naruto so much, so much, that in front of him, she can't bear to look uncool!! "Th-This isn't over yet!"

"You're not fooling anyone. I can see with these eyes . . .it's taking all your strength just to stand! You were burdened from birth with the destiny of the Hyuga's clan's main branch . . .you've hated and pushed yourself for your own weakness and frailty . . .but you can't fight your nature . . .or change your fate. But you need not suffer any more. Be at peace!"

"But . . .you're wrong, Cousin Neji . . .I can see it now . . .that even more than me . . .it's you who are torn and suffering caught between the destinies of the main branch and cadet branch of our clan!"

Hinata's words infuriated Neji. He rushed her with intent to kill. The proctor screamed to him that the match was already over but he didn't listen. Hinata just stood there, not quite able to move. When he was in striking range of her, he was stopped by all of the jonin, except for lazy Asuma of course. Neji was still furious, complaining that this was special protection for the main branch.

Hinata felt her chest throb again and fell to her knees in pain coughing up more blood. Kurenai ran over to Hinata followed by Lee, Naruto, and Sakura. Kurenai rolled her over on her back to rest. Hinata looked like she was in so much pain. She tried to say something, but couldn't get anything out. _**N-Naruto . . .I . . .wonder if maybe I . . .managed to change . . .just a little bit . . . **_ Hinata's eyes became too heavy for her, so she closed them.

"Hey . . .hey, you! Mr. failure! A couple of words of advice. A true shinobi warrior should have too much class to make a spectacle of himself by cheering during a serious match. And one more thing . . .You may as well accept who you are. Once a failure, always a failure!"

Naruto glared at Neji. "You wanna try me!"

Naruto rushed Neji but Lee slid in front of him. "I understand almost painfully well what you're feeling, Naruto! But we have to limit our battles to the confines of the scheduled fights. The prospect of seeing a failure defeat a genius through sheer force of will . . .it really makes you look forward to the final rounds, eh . . .even though his opponent could very well be me! But even if it's you in the finals, Naruto . . .I'll have no regrets!"

"I get it, okay?!"

Hinata started coughing up blood again and everyone started to worry. Kurenai checked Hinata out. She was going into Ventricular Fibrillation or Cardiac Arrest. Kurenai glared at Neji, realizing he really intended to kill her. He insisted that she should stop glaring at him and help her. "Where are those medics? Hurry!!"

"S-Sorry . . .! At this rate, she won't last 10 minutes! We've got to get her to the emergency room right now!"

Shira, Mayuri, and Izonza jumped down and stopped the medics from taking her away. They grabbed Hinata, and put her back on the floor. Kurenai freaked, rushing Shira and her team. "What do you think you're doing?!!"

Mayuri and Izonza slid in front of Kurenai to stop her. Kurenai was hysterical. "Are you trying to kill her?!!!"

Shira stayed as calm as always. "Calm down. Ventricular Fibrillation isn't something to be taken lightly. She might not survive so it'd be better to take care of it now."

"H-How could you do that?" Kurenai had calmed down, so Mayuri and Izonza let her by to her student but told her to stay a bit back.

Shira sat over Hinata's head, opening her Bizengan. Everyone was watching her now as she performed some sort of jutsu. She began her hand signs, first Hebi, Serpent, Nezumi, and finally Ushi, Ox. Her hands began to glow as she touched Hinata's chest. "Umi Myouga. Sea Blessing." The bluish white glow on her hand slipped into Hinata's chest like a stream of water. It was quiet for a moment with everyone wondering what had happened. Suddenly, Hinata's eyes slowly opened. Kurenai had tears in her eyes, calling Hinata's name over and over as she ran over and hugged her sweat student. Hinata tried to say something but everyone told her to rest. The medics took her away so she could sleep a bit.

Isumekey had been very interested in the matches but hadn't said much which highly surprised Kakashi, since she seemed to always be talking, at least to him. She had watched Shira use her Bizengan. It was an interesting idea. Using it to heal an internal wound was very original.

Naruto found some of Hinata's blood on the floor. He took some in his hand, clenching his fist in Neji's face, vowing to win. Neji scoffed it off as if Naruto was nothing.

Shira stood up to face Neji. "You have no idea what real strength is, Hyuga. Hinata here is a much better shinobi that you'll ever be."

Neji became furious again and rushed Shira. She saw him coming but did nothing. She didn't move, she didn't flinch, she acted as if nothing was coming for her at all. Mayuri couldn't take it anymore. She vanished from site for a moment, reappearing in front of Neji and back-hand slapped him before he could even breathe on Shira. He fell to the floor a slid a bit. _**I didn't even see her coming?!**_

Mayuri was furious, burning up inside with pure undying hatred. Neji got a good look at her now, and realized what was going. _**She's one of them, one of those people!! **_

"I hate people like you! People who think their lives are so bad just because something in it is unfortunate! People like you, who use it as an excuse to act the way you do!! People who never try to make things better for themselves!!!" Mayuri knelt down, closer to Neji so he could see her black eyes. "Mark my words, Hyuga. If we are matched in the finals, I won't hesitate to kill you!!!"

The proctor told everyone to break it up so he could call the next names. Himuro Raiga vs. Kanna Mayuri.

The last Sound Ninja was paired up against Mayuri. All the Moon had fought all of the one team of Sound. Shira and Izonza thought that it would be good for Mayuri to get rid of her anger this way but it was still a bit scary. Shira and Izonza had been with Mayuri for so long that they were used to it and they could see it. Some of the jonin noticed it too but only a few.

Neji still had his Byakugan activated so he could see it as well, and started to get a little scared. As Mayuri walked toward her opponent, a black, demonic aura with waves like an intense fire in slow motion was pouring off of every corner of her body.


	11. Chapter 11

Shira kept her Bizengan open, glaring at Mayuri. She could feel her teammates angry eyes on her, so Mayuri turned toward Shira. The Bizengan activated and worked its magic on Mayuri, forcing her anger to disappear. She felt much better, and smiled gratefully at Shira. Her opponent was a decent sized guy with broad shoulders and navy blue hair. He looked as though his eyes had been the same color as his hair but now they were glazed over with a hint of grey. He was blind. "Do you mind if I touch your face miss Kanna? I'd like to get a good idea of what you look like before we start."

"I suppose not."

He walked up to her without any hesitation, as if he could still see. He gently placed his hands on face and guided his fingers over her smooth skin. "Ah, you're quite a lovely young lady, Miss Kanna."

"You say my name so lightly yet you're a Sound ninja. Do you not know what that name means?"

"I prefer not to dwell on the past, Miss Kanna. I can recall what has happened to your family and your village, but I was not present at the time and had nothing to do with such things. You understand?"

"I understand, but I can't condone your statement. If you chose to fight me now, I will kill you."

She said it so calmly, so coldly, yet Himuro didn't flinch. "I see. Unfortunately I cannot forfeit, Miss Kanna."

"I see. I suppose it can't be helped." Kanna shifted into her stance, her legs spread apart, her left arm at neck level and her right a little more in front of her with it bent slightly with a flat palm. "I won't hold back!"

"Neither will I, Miss Kanna. Let's have some fun shall we." He rushed her, his back bent over flat, head first. Mayuri wasn't quite sure how a blind person with no apparent weapon could fight her. Within a few feet of her, he opened his mouth wide, and a sudden burst of supersonic waves burst out of his mouth with a high, ear-shattering sound. "Chouonpa! Ultrasonic Waves!" They made a huge explosion when they hit the ground with dust and debris blowing everywhere. Everyone seemed to believe he hit her, no one could find her anywhere.

Himuro seemed to think so as well, until he felt a tap on his shoulder. "I get it now, why you seem to be such a talkative person. You're voice is like a bat's. They can't see all that well either, so you use your voice like a bat's to bounce off of anything around you to get an idea of what is around you. An interesting attack too."

"You're a very clever young lady, Miss Kanna. And quite quick too." He turned around to face her instantly with his mouth wide open again. "Chouonpa!" His blast destroyed everything it touched again, and again Mayuri seemed to vanish.

"MMFF"

Himuro turned around to fine Mayuri had again avoided his attack, giggling. Her laughter seemed to annoy him as he narrowed his eyebrows and twitched a little. He rushed her with kunai in hand he'd pulled from the pouch on his arm. His movements were quick, swinging and slashing his kunai all over trying to hit her, but nothing landed. He kept running forward while she dodged every attempt moving just as fast as he, almost like her feet never touched the ground.

Sakura watched amazed at Mayuri's display trying to keep an eye on her movements, but it was hard. She slipped away from her team for a moment without them noticing, to ask Mayuri's team about her powers. "Excuse me."

Shira turned to Sakura coldly and harshly which frightened Sakura a bit. Izonza noticed, and immediately jumped in front of the two. "Yes, do you want something?"

"Um . . .I was just wondering about your teammate's abilities. Her footwork seems . . . strange."

"It should be, since there isn't any footwork at all." Shira continued to watch the fight, never looking at the pink-haired Kunoichi.

"Huh . . .!"

"Take a good look at her feet." Shira pointed toward Mayuri, with Himuro still slashing at her and she, still seemingly sliding backward. Sakura looked and saw with wide eyes what Shira was talking about. Mayuri seemed like she'd never touched the floor because she never had. She was levitating, only but a few inches off the ground.

"How . . .how didn't I notice it before?!'

"It's one of those things where you only know it's there after you're told it's there. If I hadn't said anything to you, you'd have never noticed it." Shira continued to watch her teammate move, never taking her eyes off the match.

Himuro was getting extremely annoyed with Mayuri, trying so much but still had not landed a blow. _**I-It can't be . . .! I'm attacking her at point blank . . .and she's not even scratched! **_"Are you going to run all day or fight?!! Chouonpa!!"

This explosion was larger than the last two, with much more dust flying everywhere. When it cleared, Mayuri had really disappeared this time. She was nowhere to be found. Himuro kept turning in all different directions to try and find her. Nothing. "Where are you?!!!"

"HHM HHM HHM . . . ."

The same sweet laugh from before was echoing all over the arena with no apparent mouth to have made it.

"Come out! Stop laughing at me and come out!!!" Suddenly, he fell to his knees holding his arm tightly. His hand was coving up a deep wound and no one saw what caused it. The only thing a few saw was a black flash.

"HHMM HHMM HHMM HHMM HHMM . . ."

"Stop hiding like a coward!!"

"HHMM HHMM HHMM . . .If you say so."

Everyone watched the end of the arena. The air itself seemed to open up, like cutting a piece of paper with scissors. Her index and middle finger was her scissors and the space was her paper. It looked like a black nothingness inside until a delicate, ivory-skinned leg stepped out of the hole. Mayuri immerged as the black space disappeared behind her.

"Wha-What did she do?!" Sakura was almost speechless.

"That's part of Mayuri's jutsu. She can cut open space itself to another dimension that only she can enter. Then she can reappear anywhere in this world that she wants, as long as it isn't out of range of the place she entered from. Her range is wide though so that's never been a problem." Sakura listen intently as Izonza explained what she had just seen.

Himuro was blind but could still see, for the most part. He didn't know exactly what happened but from what he could tell she had just stepped out of nothing to stand right in front of him. "How did you do that?"

"It's a secret." She giggled a few more times and twiddled her finger in front of Himuro, further irritating him.

"I'm getting sick of this playing around! Either fight me seriously or forfeit right now!!"

"You wouldn't stand a chance if I got serious."

"Try me."

"Very well, if you say so." She returned to the stance she was in at the beginning of the match. At first, she did nothing, but with a sharp opening of her eyes she summoned her jutsu. "Munashii no Jutsu! Void Technique!" Her hands were clocked in black and her eyes glazed over.

Sakura stared blankly at Mayuri very confused. "I've never heard of such a jutsu."

"Most haven't. You see, it's the Kanna families own style they made centuries ago. For it, the Kanna family was often called the Getsuei Mesmers." Izonza seemed happy to gloat about her friend.

"Wasn't a Mesmer someone who made illusions with their thoughts?"

"Yes, stereotypically, but the Kanna clan's main power comes from their emotions. The more anger they feel, the more energy they unleash, but if they fight half-heartedly they'll barely be able to release any energy at all. They're called Mesmers because what they create with their Void Jutsu is a physical object but the void itself doesn't have a real shape. Think of it like water. Water takes the shape of whatever it is placed in, from a cup to an ocean and is physical, but water itself doesn't have a real physical form just like Mayuri's Void Jutsu. With it, she can make whatever she wants."

Sakura's eyes returned to the battle after Izonza's explanation so she could watch the rest of the match. Luckily, Mayuri hadn't really moved so she hadn't missed much.

Himuro was waiting for her to do something but she didn't move. "If you're not going to do anything, I'll just have to kill you." He opened his mouth wide and released another Chouonpa. She didn't move. When it was close, she swiped her blackened hands in front of her to create a black wall. The Chouonpa didn't even leave a scratch.

"Is that the only attack you can do? If so, you have no chance in hell of beating me." Mayuri continued to laugh at her foolish and weak opponent. Himuro, desperate to deal some damage rushed her again with a kunai. The black wall faded away into nothing as she prepared for another attack. She swung her hand behind her with a black wave extending off of it. She swung toward Himuro as the black wave extended further, the shape of a jagged whip with the sharpness of a spear. It cut him deeply, stopping his attack and forcing him to his knees. He started to cough up torrents of blood all over the floor. Mayuri started to laugh again.

"MMFF . . .Heh Heh. AHAHAHA! HA! HA! HA! HAHAHA!"

Himuro tried to stop the blood when he heard her laugh, causing his blood to boil. _**W-What's she laughing at?! I-Is the sight of me on all fours on the ground that amusing?! Or is she just extremely pleased with her own formidable battle prowess? I wouldn't have thought she'd be the kind of girl who would laugh like this. And yet . . .that bewitching beauty . . .that arrogance . . .that cruelty . . .Ah, and that infuriating innocent laugh . . .she's nothing that I expected . . .ever.**_

Suddenly, the black-like gloves on her hands vanished. "I'm tired of this fight. It's boring."

She held her hands apart from each other at chest level. Something that appeared to be her Void Jutsu poured out of her chest and swirled in the space between her hands. The blackness quickly took shape into a beautiful silver mirror, the same from the first part of the exams. Her face lost its old humor and confidence; instead it was replaced with an emotionless almost dead face.

Himuro with his abilities could see for the most part but only things that were alive. He could sense her presence but he could no longer see her, meaning only one thing. She was dead. _**What . . .is she?!**_

"Now, give me your soul." Her voice was as emotionless as her face. "Nusumikon Enkyou! Soul-stealing Mirror!" A white object forced its way through Himuro's chest and floated inside Mayuri's mirror while Himuro's body lay lifelessly.

"Winner, Kanna Mayuri!"

The medics rushed over to him and checked his pulse . . .nothing. They picked him up and took him away. The mirror dissolved into small shinny black specs and returned to Mayuri's chest. She turned around toward the stairs and made her way toward her team. Sakura heard Naruto's voice so she said a quick good-bye to Izonza and rushed back over to her team but not without one last glance at the deadly Mayuri. Their eyes met for a moment, which frightened Sakura so she averted hers quickly. Her emotionless appearance stayed despite the mirror returning to her. It would take a short time for her true self to return.

"Great job, Mayuri!" Both her teammates congratulated her sweetly and enthusiastically.

"Thank you." Shira and Izonza started to laugh. They thought it was so hilarious the way she sounded after using her mirror.

Only two matches left. Everyone was on pins and needles waiting to see what would happen, especially the four left. Gaara had a strange sense as he departed to the floor, waiting for his opponent to see his name on the call board. "Don't keep me waiting."

Gaara vs Rock Lee.

"Okay! You caught me!! As soon as I said I wanted to be last . . .I was thwarted! It's a natural law . . .you can throw a stone at a telephone pole time and again and never hit it . . .but the minute you aim to miss, you end up hitting the thing dead center." Lee spun around enthusiastically kicking and screaming at the top of his lungs.

"All right! Go get him, Lee!!" Guy Sensei shouted at the top of his lungs to encourage his loving student.

"Yes, Sir!" Lee jumped up and over the rail to land a few feet in front of Gaara. "Facing you so soon . . .makes me very happy!" Lee flashed his white smile at the sulking and annoyed Gaara who only responded to Lee excited introduction with an angry HMPH. Lee shifted into his signature fighting pose glaring at Gaara with his thick eyebrows. A small little pop sound was heard as something went flying toward Lee. He caught it, only to reveal it was the cork of Gaara's gourd. "Please don't rush things."

Gaara glared at Lee with his cold light blue eyes as Lee dropped the cork.

"All right, then. Let the battle begin!!!"

Lee began the fight rushing Gaara unleashing his Konoha Hurricane but the sand poured out of the gourd in a quick yet smooth movement in thick bunches to stop Lee's kick. The sand quickly released Lee's leg as it swirled around him to attack him from behind but he did four back flips to avoid the hit. Lee regained his bearings and rushed Gaara again but in a zigzag formation, in hopes of confusing his opponent, but to no avail. An attempted punch and kick to Gaara's right side only brought more sand to protect him. Lee began to pant slightly.

"His attacks just aren't working!" Naruto was watching from one end with the puppet master Kankuro who had moved to his side after his fight with Neji in hopes of gaining a bit of information.

"Physical attacks are worthless against Gaara. The sand forms a shield to protect his body . . .independent of Gaara's will. That's why, to this day, there's not one person . . ." Kankuro stopped short, speaking without ever taking his eyes off of his little brother. Naruto looked at him strangely. " . . .who has ever wounded him."

Naruto gulped at the sound of the words.

Lee continued to try and attack Gaara but the sand still persisted. Lee, only being able to use Taijutsu, continued to punch and kick toward his enemy. To Lee's surprise Gaara summoned hands made out of sand to attack him from the floor. Lee did a few back flips to avoid them but every time his foot connected with the floor, another hand tried to grab him. He finally jumped up on the large stone hands in the shape of a Hitsuji. Lee looked down toward Gaara who looked up at him with eyes of pure disgust and annoyance.

"Lee! Take them off!!" Guy looked down to his student from the balcony, his eyes were on him now, flashing the "Nice Guy" smile.

"B-But master guy! You said-never to do that unless I was defending the lives of people who are precious to me!!" Lee looked confused.

"It's all right!! I'll allow it!!!"

Lee began to laugh a little to himself. He reached for the orange wraps on his legs and pulled them off, revealing a set of weights attached to a belt wrapped around his leg. "Right!! Now I can move freely!!" He stood, with both weight belts in his hands. He dropped them while Gaara's family believed that dropping some weights wouldn't make any difference. The weights hit the ground with loud twin BOOM's, leaving huge craters where the weights fell with dust and debris flying everywhere. Everyone looked on stunned. Kakashi held his hand to his mouth and looked sick like he would hurl at any minute.

"Go!! Lee!!"

Lee smiled. "Yes, Sir!!"

He vanished in a second, confusing Gaara as to his location. Before he could sense it, Lee appeared behind Gaara with a balled up fist. Gaara saw it coming at the last second, as did the sand, saving him from the ferocious punch just in time. A few more blows flashed by Gaara without him seeing them until they connected with his sand, each one getting a little closer to hitting him. Lee jumped up directly above Gaara, falling with a kick to the side of Gaara's face, a small, clean-cut swipe a bit under Gaara's eye. He seemed unfazed by the successful attack but his eyes narrowed, finally taking the green ninja seriously.

"Lee!! Now . . .EXPLODE!!!"

"Yes, Sir!!"

Kero's big eyes looked like dinner plates as she watched the lightning-quick Rock Lee. "Fast!"

He vanished again with a puff of dust, the only evidence he had been standing there a moment ago. Gaara turned as quickly as he could to see nothing but a flash. Lee had been behind him but had moved when Gaara sensed his presence. Now while Gaara stared at the place the flash had been, Lee moved to his front, connecting a powerful punch to his left cheek. The sand broke his fall and helped set him back to his feet. The punch he received left a scuff on his cheek that appeared to be nothing more than that, if a small crack hadn't formed. To Lee's amazement, pieces started to fall to the ground. Pieces of what appeared to be skin at first were falling off his face while he flashed an inhuman, demonic smile. Lee shivered.

"Whoa! His whole face just broke and fell off?!" Naruto was just as confused as anyone else.

Kankuro looked on afraid. "If Gaara is able to catch Lee . . .Lee will be toyed with and then killed!"

Shira watched with her teammates this strange fight getting stranger and stranger by the second. The demonic Gaara she'd only seen from time to time was amazing her. His powers formidable and impressive, but his attitude and aura were making her hair stand on end. She did not understand him.

The sand lifted up and wrapped itself all around Gaara's body forming some kind of protective covering for the evil smiling Suna shinobi. As the sand wrapped around him, the smile slowly faded and his facial expression returned to its normal angry scowl. The Sand Armor of Gaara's was a last resort because it took much more chakra than the Sand Shield and also riddled with weak points not to mention its strength is half of the Shield and the weight it places on Gaara. Not the most affective means of protection.

Lee looked up at his master who smiled, then looked back toward Gaara. He unwrapped the bandages on his arm a bit. He vanished again, circling the seemingly calm Gaara. "Come on . . .hurry up!"

Gaara got his wish as Lee used an uppercut on Gaara's jaw, sending him up in the air. Lee jumped up as well, fully unwrapping the bandages on his arms and wrapping them tightly around Gaara's whole body, spinning around and around in a screw-like motion, driving Gaara headfirst into the ground. "Forward Lotus!!"

Lee disconnected with Gaara as he lay in a crater on the arena. He didn't move for a little while, until the Sand Armor started to peal off. It continued to fall until it caved in on itself, showing nothing more than an empty shell of sand.

Lee became confused as he panted heavily from his last attack, looking everywhere for any trace of the Sand ninja. While looking, Lee felt a slowly growing shadow on his back and a low, evil chuckle from behind. Gaara was slowly rising out of the sand, slithering his way up with a tidal wave of sand behind him. Lee ran, trying to avoid it, but it was useless as the sand formed sharp spikes as it knocked Lee against a wall. Another wave came close. Lee put his arms up to protect his face as the wave crashed into him. His Lotus move had weakened him greatly and he had difficulty moving. Another wave came crashing down on him so he dodged. A few more waves were thrown at him as he dodged with sloppy movements. One more wave to finish the job, but this time, Lee's movements were as they used to be, quick and sharp, to avoid the hit. He panted a few more times and then rose, with a big cunning smile and his signature stance.

" . . .for you, it ends here." The sand that was spread over the arena began to slowly slither its way back to Gaara as he spoke in his emotionless tone.

"Well, one way or another . . .the next move will be the last." Lee kept his cunning smile. He shifted in a slow calm motion to bring his hands in front of his face, like he would to protect himself. Lee had the ability to open the Eight Gates, eight points along the body that one can force open to give a boost of chakra, taught to him by Master Guy, but so far had only made it up to The Fifth. He'd forced open The Kyumon---The Gate of Rest to bounce back from his exhaustion so quickly.

Lee's skin color started to grow darker until it became almost red, pieces of rubble began to rise around him, and waves of chakra swirled all around him. "The Third Gate, Seimon . . .Release!!" _**And, while I'm at it . . .The Fourth Gate, Shomon . . .Release!!!**_

Lee dashed off in Gaara's direction, leaving a path of destruction behind him as debris and rubble unearthed itself from where he ran. A quick uppercut to Gaara's jaw once more knocked him up high in the air. The sand rose, attempting to protect its master, but Lee was much faster. He hit Gaara forcing him to the side. Another hit, forcing him in another direction, the Sand Armor crumbling more and more after every hit. Gaara was being attacked back and forth, forth and back with a barrage of blows. "This is the end!!" _**The Fifth Gate, Tomon . . .Release!!!**_ Lee punched him in the stomach, sending him down toward the ground, tying his bandage to Gaara. Lee pulled Gaara up, another devastating blow to Gaara's stomach with a punch and kick. "Reverse Lotus!!!"

Gaara was forced to the ground, his gourd reacting to the situation, began to melt and turn into sand. Lee's muscles ripped causing him to cringe in pain. Gaara hit the ground with a loud BOOM and an explosion to match. Lee fell and slid a bit off to the side riddling in pain. The dust cleared, Gaara was fine, his gourd had completely turning into sand to break his fall. He was laying on it now like a mattress, his arm raised up. The sand slithered its way over to Lee, wrapping itself around his left arm and leg. Lee tried to pull away but the sand was strong.

Gaara clenched his fist tight. "Sabakukyû!" The sand imploded on Lee's arm and leg, his scream echoing throughout the arena. He fell, defeated, as the sand clumped his way over to Lee again. It nearly grabbed him, but Guy jumped in and parted the sand with his bear hand. Gaara looked deep into his eyes, determined and protective. Gaara's mind went wild, thinking of his family, his life. His mind seemed to shatter at the site of this man. He grabbed his head and wallowed in pain from the site. "Why are you . . .helping him?"

Guy thought about the question for a moment, thinking back to all the time he'd spent with Lee, such a question was the simplest thing for him to respond to. "He's my lovable, precious protēgē!"

Such words were beyond Gaara's understanding. He started off, the cracks on his face vanishing in an instant and his sand pillow gathering back together to form the gourd and the contents inside. "Forget it . . ."

"The victor is Gaara!"

Everyone stopped short, staring wide eyed at the sight they saw. Gaara turned around. Lee was standing, quivering, his arm and leg bleeding profusely. Guy walked over to him and placed his hands on his shoulders. "Lee, it's all right . . .it's over. You're in no shape to be standing . . ." He stopped, and got a good look at his student. Guy began to cry. Lee's eyes were blank and expressionless, like his pale lifeless face. He was unconscious. Guy continued to cry as he hugged his beloved student. Gaara watched, he didn't understand.

The medics began to examine Lee. Naruto rushed to his side, passing the calmly walking Gaara. The medics called Guy over. They moved, hopeful that no one could here them. "This kid's body is so destroyed . . .he'll never recover enough to be a shinobi again." Naruto could here. Shock riddled both their faces. Naruto tried to comment on Lee's behalf but Kakashi came to his side to shut him up.

Gaara returned to his team's side with a kind greeting form his sister. He said nothing, only looked at her.

The last match began, Akimichi Choji vs Kinuta Dosu

The match ended as quickly as it began. Choji used his Baika no Jutsu, The Art of Expansion, causing him to pop into a huge, round, fat cannon ball. "Nikudan Sensha! The Human Juggernaut!!" He began to roll toward Dosu like a bowling ball. He backed him up against a wall and nearly crushed him, but Dosu jumped out of the way just in time. Choji knew about his powers, so he'd ducked his head to protect his ears. Dosu knew that wouldn't work, he punched Choji's fat body, flicked his amplifier, and caused a huge tremor to pulse throughout Choji. He fainted. Sound travels very well through water and the human body is about 70 water.

"We have a winner!! Dosu Kinuta!! Uh . . .well then, as of this moment, the preliminaries to the third exam . . .are now complete!"

The winners all lined up in front of The Hokage. Gaara, Temari, Kankuro, Shira, Mayuri, Izonza, Kero, Hysoue, Hyoue, Naruto, Neji, Shikamaru, Shino, Dosu, and Sasuke, who was not present at the time had all preceded to the next level.

"To those of you who won your bouts and qualified for the finals of the third phase of the Chunin exams . . .congratulations!"

The finals were scheduled to take place in one month. The matches were already decided. Uzumaki Naruto vs Hyuga Neji. Gaara vs Uchiha Sasuke. Kamori Kero vs Kankuro. Kazuken Shira vs Aburame Shino. Hysoue vs Izonza. Hyoue vs Kanna Mayuri. Temari vs Nara Shikamaru. Any and or all could become Chunin or none at all.

After a little congratulatory speech from the Hokage, all departed for their one month of training.

Kero started off to speak with her sensei when she ran into a man with long black hair and an evil smile. "Hello, dear." He continued on, his voice was that of a slither, like a snake. Kero waited for the man to depart from her senses, then she let herself loosen. She fell to her knees with a chorus of dry heaves. It took a moment, but in time she calmed down. _**I hate that man! That conversation was meaningless, but that wasn't what I saw. I broke into a cold sweat. His fingertips, his mouth, the way his eyes moved, all reminded me of a hungry snake. I felt like his hands were around my throat, I couldn't even blink. I hate him. Into the small crakes of everyday life, his venom spreads. Before I knew it, the poison had penetrated deep inside, that's the kind of fear I fell around that man. I don't know why, but something inside of me was repulsed by everything about him. **_


	12. Chapter 12

The full moon was out that night, Gaara sat on the tail of a large beautifully carved Koy Fish statue on the edge of a building. He sat peacefully, watching the night until he was so rudely disturbed. "I give up . . .do you ever sleep?"

" . . .what do you want . . .?" Gaara looked down toward the insolent fool Dosu looking up at Gaara from the base of the Koy Fish.

"I was planning to attack you while you slept . . .but I guess I'll just have to fight you like this . . .so I can increase my chances of getting to fight Sasuke in the Chunin exam . . .since I'm the only Sound Ninja left."

Gaara didn't respond

"I've been analyzing your sand attacks . . .let's see which one's quicker, your sand or my sound."

"When the full moon is out . . .Its blood stirs up." Gaara continued to gaze at the silver moon above him. Dosu looked up; a great shadow loomed over him, not the shadow of the Koy. "Wh-What the . . .? What on earth are you . . .?!"

The dust cleared, the roof had been destroyed, long, large, clean-cut slashes were ranked along the sides, in the middle lay what looked like what used to be Dosu. Gaara rose from the dust panting on his hands and knees.

Over in the distance, two men were watching. "Impressive, isn't it? So that is his true identity . . ." Kabuto stood by Baki's side, watching the commotion Gaara made.

"But . . .why do you seem pleased? His victim was one of your Sound ninja . . ."

"It's all right. He fulfilled his purpose long ago."

"I thought he was a guinea pig to test the strength of that Sasuke kid."

Kabuto smiled awkwardly. "Oh no, there's no longer any need for that . . .in fact, I've already been given the order to capture Sasuke . .."

Baki's eyes narrowed. "What?!"

"Yes . . .they know I'm a Sound agent now."

"Then . . .if they discover that we're secretly meeting here, the plot to destroy Konoha and . . .everything else we've planned . . .it will all come to naught! You know, I heard you were Orochimaru's right-hand man, but . . .nonchalantly coming to meet with me despite having been found out by Konoha . . .you are quite the fool."

Kabuto was silent for a moment; he chuckled coldly with an evil smile. He dropped his head slightly to uncover his narrowed, dark eyes. "Actually . . .truth be told . . .I wasn't found out. I deliberately revealed myself to them . . .I wanted to see what the reaction from Konoha would be . . .and even after that, I still have a plan to kidnap Sasuke."

Baki became concerned. "You Sound Ninja are the ones who proposed this scheme to us in the first place . . .but if you all continue with these blunders, we'll be forced to withdraw our support. Sand will not make our move until the very end. That is Lord Kazekage's will."

Kabuto smiled while handing Baki a thick scroll. "This is the blueprint for all our plans. So . . .pass the information along soon . . .to your subordinates . . .please. Oh . . .and one more thing . . .I'll take care of the cleanup . . .I'll find out who's on our trail and take care of him."

"No . . .I'll do it . . .as a gesture of our allegiance. The least we Sand Ninja can do is lend a helping hand. Besides . . .one little mouse . . .is no big deal."

Baki glared toward his left. Someone, Hayate, had been listening to the whole conversation. He dashed off with Baki hot on his trail.

The next morning, a gathering of crows attracted an ANBU squad to a roof. Hayate was dead.

Shira, Mayuri, and Izonza lay on the ground, panting heavily. They had been training for three days nonstop and now were quite tired. "And I'm spent." Izonza was hanging upside-down on a tree.

Shira sat up, took one of her shoes off and threw it at Izonza's head, knocking her to the ground. "Damnit, Shira!! That hurt!!!"

"Ladies, get your asses up! We're leaving!" Shira stood up to face her teammates.

"What are you talking about, Shira?" Mayuri as always was calm and logical.

"We're going home for the month. The Water and Moon Spirit must be lonely and I bet they would love to see us and hear of our success."

"Why should we have to tell them? It's not like they expected anything less then that from us."

Shira threw her other shoe at Izonza. "Ouch!!!"

"So you don't want to see them, Izonza?"

"Of course I do, I'm just sayin'!"

"Ladies please, you're both right. Now no yelling. Your shortness of breath combined with your yelling will strain your throats and you will loose your voices." Mayuri of course, was right, as always.

"I guess, but Shira we can't leave yet! We haven't prepared offerings for the Water and Moon Spirit." Izonza handed Shira both her shoes back.

"I have." Mayuri stood, fiddled with her hair and pulled out two very lovely boxes, one with the kanji for water and the other for moon on the sides.

Shira and Izonza stared surprised. "When did you make those?!"

"I wanted to use this time to go home as well so I prepared before we started training." Mayuri was always the logical one, and with logic comes responsibility, organization, and promptness. "But I'll wait for you two if you want me to."

"That's okay, Mayuri. You can go if you want to." Shira quickly slipped her shoes back on.

"Yeah, if you stayed, you'd embarrass us again with your quality work and our . . .yeah." Izonza had never been a very artistic person.

"Very well, if you say so. I'll meet you there." Mayuri started off with her graceful movements and disappeared from site in an instant.

"Well, I guess we better get to work." Both looked at each other for a moment, wondering . . .then they collapsed on the ground with a sigh. They decided to sleep a bit.

Mayuri liked the Konoha forest, it reminded her a little bit of home. Not even thirty minutes into her walk she heard a noise. A slight one that most ears couldn't hear but thanks to being from Getsuei, her hearing was acute. It was the sound of careful footsteps, a bit heavy, most likely from a male. She vanished in an instant.

Neji was walking through the woods with his Byakugan activated, searching carefully. _**I know I saw her go this way.**_ He had seen Mayuri walking during his training so he took the opportunity to get back at her for the embarrassment he'd received before her match. _**How dare that monster attack me! How dare she touch me!!**_ He made his way around a corner where he was certain the trail ended. _**Where'd she go? I couldn't have lost her! **_ He'd dropped his guard but before he could make up for it he saw a delicate hand cloaked in black out of his periph. His hand wrapped around his throat and forced him against a tree. It was Mayuri.

"Let me go you witch!!!"

"Not at chance in hell, Hyuga." Mayuri rose the hand that didn't have Neji in a death grip, also cloaked in black with waves. "Now, would you be so kind as to tell me why you were following me, Hyuga.?"

"I have a name, Kanna, and it's Neji!" He tried to struggle, but her grip was strong.

"I know what your name is, Hyuga. I just don't feel like using it."

"Get your hands off of me, Kanna!!"

"Don't tell me what to do, Hyuga." They glared at each other, centuries of family hatred and contempt for each other pouring out of their eyes.

"You're worse than I could've ever imagined, Kanna! I wonder what your parents thought of you!! You must've been one hell of a child; I bet they wished they'd never had you!!"

Mayuri froze; she wasn't expecting such a comment and wasn't prepared for it, though she never would be. He would never know how personal what he said was, how much it hurt. She let go of him, released her jutsu, and started off without a single glance more. Neji saw the hurt in her eyes; hurt that was much too much for something a feisty woman like her should've been able to brush off with a quick comeback, at least she seemed so. She'd done a fine job of it so fare. So why now was she backing off so easily with nothing at the least, not even a "shut up" or a "screw you" or something to that effect. She just walked off and said nothing. He didn't know what to say.

"What's with you?! First you try to kill me, now you're all depressed!! Make up your mind!!!" He started following her. "Are all you Kanna women so irritating?!!" He was becoming more and more annoyed with her, still not responding or dropping her pace, she merely continued to press on hurrying faster and faster after every passing word out of Neji's mouth. He didn't like being ignored so he continued to follow her. "Look at me when I'm talking to you!!!"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!!" Her eyes glazed over, black waves pouring out of them. A force of some kind pushed Neji back, knocking him down on his back. Mayuri's hair flew up, her hands cloaked in black, with waves that danced like fire pouring off of them. Trees near her became covered in black and started to split apart while the now black ground cracked at her feet. Her teeth cringed and her fists clenched. When it seemed like she would blow, her face became ridden with shock, her eyes returned to normal and the black on her hands and everywhere else faded as she fell to the ground. She fainted.

Neji looked on speechless; a small corner of his mind expecting and or awaiting death from the vicious creature that now lay motionless at his feet. He sat up, examined her, and determined that she wasn't dead. _**She must've strained herself to the point of fainting.**_ He scooped her up in his arms and placed her against a nearby tree.

" . . .Mother . . ."

He looked at her curiously. To call out something like that . . .what he'd said before must've hurt her greatly. Not that he cared or anything . . .but still . . . he felt a strange feeling of remorse that he couldn't explain, that he didn't understand. He left her where she lay in hopes of getting the feeling out of his head.

Shira had left the highly annoyed and struggling Izonza to her work after she had finished. The offerings weren't as good as Mayuri's but she did feel quite proud of herself for her hard work. When she was in the center of the forest, she was sure she was being followed. She'd believed so for the last few minutes but now she was certain. It began to irritate her, so she stopped. "I know you're there. Come out!"

She could here a few footsteps behind her. She turned to see a young man a little taller than her, with a brown short-sleeved shirt, brown baggy pants, and brown sandals. He had a white sash over his right shoulder that, when draped over, became like a loin cloth. Under his clothes, evidenced by his arms, he wore fishnet attire like most ninjas wore. A few brown belts and draped over his left shoulder lay a large, brown strap with his headband tied around it, holding up a large gourd on his back. His hair as red as freshly spilled blood and his eyes as blue as a clear sky. It was Gaara.

"What do you want?"

" . . .you are Kazuken Shira? Is that correct?"

"Yeah, you know me and I know you . . . Gaara, was it?"

Gaara noticed she said his name a bit strangely. It was the Getsuei accent, though not much of an accent, just a rounded tongue. When she said his name, it sounded more like Gaada than Gaara because of the way she rounded the R. He didn't care.

"Is there something you want, Gaara?"

"You, tell me about yourself. I want to know who you are, what you can do."

"What's it to you?"

Gaara didn't answer. It was none of her concern what he felt around her. Something, like a pulling sensation. It was the same pulling feeling he felt whenever he was in the presence of someone or something he truly wanted to kill. But above all, she had angered him, for just being alive. The only reason he hadn't killed her yet was because of the power she seemed to posses, a fine challenge she could be. It the only reason he was talking to her right now instead of squeezing the life out of her with his sand, letting it feed on her sweet fresh blood.

"Well then, why should I tell you? What are you gonna do if I refuse?" Shira shifted her weight to one side and put her hand on her hip.

"If you don't . . . I'll kill you."

"Is that a threat?!" She cocked a cunning smile and narrowed her icy eyes.

"Do you refuse?" The sand began to spill out of the gourd.

She shifted into her Wolf Claw stance. "Try me!"

The sand poured out in buckets by the second, flooding the floor where Gaara stood. Shira just smiled. Gaara moved to the offensive, sending waves of sand in her direction. She punched and kicked at the attacking waves, never letting it touch her otherwise. Her speed was impressive, angering Gaara. He kept sending more, only to have it easily knocked out of the way. She hopped and skipped all over the place with graceful footwork and light steps further pissing Gaara off. He ground his teeth while his pupils shrunk. He began clenching his fists over and over, trying to grab her or hurt her in any way to slow her down. He was getting extremely sick of these fast opponents he kept having to face.

She drew out her sword, rushed Gaara, dodging his sand easily. He was getting to angry and taking her too lightly, he underestimated her. She jumped at him, katana at the ready. The Sand Shield came up a little too close for comfort for Gaara. She was so fast he could see the tip of her katana on his side of the barrier.

Neither moved now. Not because of the sword that was only a few inches from Gaara's face. Not because of the sand that was a few inches from grabbing Shira. Neither moved because of the tremor they both felt under their feet. The earth shook and felt weak where they stood. Suddenly, it gave way, and both fell into a deep underground cave.

They landed on their feet easily despite the long drop. They both looked up and saw the hole above them begin to close. They jumped up trying to beat the quickly regrowing earth but didn't make. It closed seconds before either could grab an edge.

When they landed, Gaara was in Shira's face within seconds of her standing. "How did it do that?"

"How did what do what?"

"How did the ground grow back so quickly?"

"Oh that! It's not that big of a deal. It's probably just a Forest Spirit taking care of its home. We'll just have to find another way out." She started off, walking forward with no apparent direction.

"Can you be certain this spirit will let us find another way out?"

She stopped and turned to him, a sweet smile on her face. "Not to worry, I'm protected by spirits." She turned away from him and started off once more. This time, he started off in the same direction she was going, to follow her. He still wanted to kill her, but right now might not be the best time. She seemed to know her way around these kinds of places. Better let her lead him out of the cave first, then have his fun.

Everything went smooth at first. Nothing to worry about indeed. When Gaara finally began to loosen, he noticed the cave walls seemed to be moving. He forced Shira's attention toward the subject but she didn't seem too concerned. The walls were indeed moving, something was coming off of them. Large muscular creatures emerged made of roots, leaves, and earth, all different shapes and sizes. The largest stepped forward with a low growl of some kind.

Shira stepped forward to face the creature. "There's nothing to fear. We're not here to attack the Forest Spirit. We're merely passing through."

The creature swung at her with what appeared to be a backhand slap but Shira stood her ground. Gaara saw it as a challenge. He summoned his sand to swarm around the creature. "Sabakukyû!" Shira put her arms up to cover her face from the green sap that replaced the creature's blood as it sprayed in all directions from Gaara's gruesome attack.

They all advanced now on Shira and Gaara, taking them now for enemies. Gaara crossed his arms in preparation for a battle when his Sand Shield sprang up. He looked; a rock had connected with the wall of sand, thrown by Shira. He looked at her with his emotionless face yet with an edge to his eyes with a hint of annoyance. "Why did you do that?" Despite the infuriating rage he saw on her face, he remained calm.

"What the hell is your problem you stupid bastard?!!! That was a guardian of the Forest Spirit!! They weren't really going to attack me! They were just testing me! Now they'll keep attacking until we kill them, no matter what I say!! Dumbass!!!!!"

Gaara had been called many things in his life, but nothing like this. Everyone was very careful about angering him for fear of death. Even his siblings tiptoed around him. But this girl was different. She seemed to fear nothing, not caring about what she'd seen him say or do, a woman who spoke her mind. He couldn't help but---

"Fine with me. More to kill." One had come too close as the sand slithered its way up to cover the creature for another Sabakukyû.

"Is that all you think about? Killing others? Don't you have any honor, any regret for what you do?!" Shira didn't kill them like her current companion; merely beat them so they could no longer move. She didn't want to kill anything of a Spirit's.

"None of those things matter to me." Two more in his view felt the sting of his sand.

"What is wrong with you?! Don't you care about anything? Don't you care about anyone?!!" She also knocked away two, one with a punch and another with a kick.

Her words hurt him in a way that even he didn't understand. He lost his temper and snapped. "What would you know?!! You're nothing but a stupid wench!!!"

She stopped; her arms became limp, her shoulders dropped, and her pupils shrunk. A creature came up from behind her while she blankly stared at the Sand shinobi. The creature rose his hand up and prepared to attack. Seconds before it hit Shira, her attitude changed in a second, her shoulders tensed, her head dropped, and her eyes were shaded as the creature stopped, and split in half. Gaara looked down at her right hand that tightly held the handle of her katana. She raised her head in a snap, eyes surging, teeth cringed, and eyebrows as far down as humanly possible. "DON'T YOU EVER CALL ME THAT AGAIN!!!!!" She ran off toward the rest of the creatures cutting them to peaces in seconds. Without even looking back, she quickly started off in a rush forgetting to sheath her sword.

He kept away from her as they walked in silence, disturbing, skin crawling silence. The silence finally broke when more of the creatures appeared. Shira held her Katana at the ready. Gaara crossed his arms as the sand poured out of the gourd. There were many more this time that before.

Their fight started out sloppy, neither worked together, like there was a wall dividing them as they fought the creatures. It was taking much longer than need be. Bodies started to pile up, but still not fast enough. At one point, Shira moved to her left to trip up one of the creatures, but instead bumped into Gaara causing the sand to trip one of the creatures and kill two more with its sharp spikes including the one Shira knocked out. They looked at each for a moment, neither needing to speak to understand what the other meant. They stood back-to-back, she cocking a smile, his eyes softening. His sand rose to wrap around one of the creatures. It imploded, spraying the sticky green liquid in all direction. When the creature fell to its knees, Shira jumped up, her katana above her head, slashing and swiping in all directions. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the sand slithering up the creatures at her sides while she skewered the ones at her front. They killed ten in a matter of seconds.

They started off again in silence, but it wasn't as skin crawling as before and they walked side by side. Gaara occasionally looked over at her from his periph. _**What is with this girl? And what was with back there? Was that an apology? Why should it have been, there was nothing to apologize for. She just overreacted for no reason. This isn't worth worrying about, stop thinking about it!!!**_ He looked over slightly at her again but this time she noticed and looked over as well, with a sweet look in her eye and an attempted smile. It didn't take long to get where Shira was headed. They could tell they were getting closer by the sweet smell of rain mixed with the refreshing sent of freshly cut grass. An emerald-green shrine came into view with trees, shrubs, grass, and everything green growing around it. Shira stepped directly in front of it while Gaara stayed as far back as possible so as not to do anything else wrong. Shira knelt before the shrine as a sparkling green stream poured out like a thin ghost. It circled her like a ribbon running through her hair and draping over her shoulders. When it was done with its investigation, it returned to its place in the shrine. Shira stood and with a respective bow and started off with Gaara quickly taking leave by her side.

They had been in the cave for quite some time but both could tell the sun had set long ago and the moon now hung high in the sky. Shira and her team had been up for three days straight training with no rest, no sleep and now she was pretty tired. She could barley keep her eyes open as she walked, occasionally passing out for a moment then only being woken up by her head falling as her body started to go limp. She nearly fell about three times. Gaara noticed. He knew she'd been training with her teammates for three days without sleep. He'd been . . .keeping an eye on her . . .waiting for the perfect opportunity to attack her. He could see she needed some rest. Not that he cared, of course, it's just . . .it would be really annoying if she passed out for good and he would have to carry her or something. He didn't care if she fell asleep, the only reason he would take care of her afterwards was that if he didn't, it just would be even more annoying if she came after him and yelled at him for leaving her.

"You're tired."

"What?" She'd nearly passed out again. She was tired enough to fall asleep right then and there but she fought against the weariness.

"You're tired. You should sleep."

"Oh, no, no, not at all, I'm fine. I've gone without sleep before." She looked at him with a sweet, reassuring look resisting even the urge to blink.

He sighed. "You're a very stubborn woman aren't you?!"

She was stubborn; she fought with her heavy lids, and won. She started off with heavy steps and confidence in her voice, like the leader of a marching band. He wasn't convinced when he saw her almost trip over an unearthed root. Yelling or carrying. He'd rather she sleep.

He walked over to the wall and slid down, patting the ground to his left, gesturing her to sit. He had a stern look in his eye; Shira knew there was no arguing with him now. She did as commanded and sat next to him obeying her heavy eyes and closed them. She fell asleep in mere seconds. Gaara looked at her moments after she sat and stared at her. She was already asleep. It was going to be a long night. He looked in the direction they were going to be heading and began wondering how much longer it would take to get out.

His mind drifted into deep thought but was disturbed but a slight pressure on his shoulder. He turned to see Shira leaning on him but still asleep. The feeling was strange. He lifted her gently from his shoulder so as not to wake her, though she probably wouldn't wake even if he threw her into the wall, and situated her against the wall again. When he was certain she would stay he looked in the other direction again to return to his thoughts when the soft feeling returned on his shoulder. He looked and again she had fallen on him. It seemed to be a waist of time to move her so he dealt with it. Only a short time passed before he felt something wrong. A strange feeling washed over him, as if there was a soft stream of cool water pouring over him. It was soft, cool, calm, almost soothing, and maybe even happy. It was such a nice feeling that Gaara couldn't help but like it. It was so overpowering he couldn't help but give into it. When he did, his eyes closed against his will and he fell asleep.

His eyes opened sharply but they were no longer Gaara's eyes, they were a golden-brown color like desert sand. Sand slithered in clumps all over his body that, when it formed a solid shape, took on the appearance of spikes. He grew dramatically, almost hulk-like, his hands and feet became huge paws with razor-sharp claws. His head grew wider like that of an animal. He took on the form of what looked like a huge raccoon.

The raccoon looked down at the human female at his side in a peaceful, deep, sleep. He easily scooped her up with his paws holding her gingerly like a mother holds her baby. The raccoon watched her sleepy eyes, her slightly opened mouth so that she could breath, her chest slowly moving up and down with new air. She was lovely, an angel. The raccoon mustered up the kindest smile he could, closed his eyes, and melted into sand.

Gaara felt the sand crumbling down onto the ground as it poured off of him. He had just woken up but had done nothing to Gaara as He usually did. Gaara didn't understand why He allowed Himself to return to His dormant state giving Gaara back control. Something sat on a large mount of sand. When his face surfaced out of the clumps, he could see something lying on the sand. Shira was cradled in a clump that was used to form His arms. She landed softly in Gaara's arms with shock riddled on his face for what had just happened. He looked down at the woman in his arms now. _**Was it her? Did He want to see her?**_ He set her down softly against the wall again to allow himself to think. _**Her aura is soothing so she's the reason I fell asleep, but why is He interested in her?**_ He was disturbed again by the soft pressure from before. He looked; she had indeed fallen on his side again but instead of pushing her away, his eyes softened as he wrapped his hand around her shoulder pulling her close.

Shira had had a nice sleep with a tugging, refreshing feeling telling her it was morning. As her senses returned to her, she felt something pressed up against her right side. She looked to see Gaara sitting very close to her, his head hung low bobbing up and down with exhaustion. "Gaara, did you stay up all night?!"

He slowly turned to her, the black under his eyes emphasized by new bags. " . . .maybe . . ." He started to rise, struggling to get to his feet. He had done a fine job of resisting her calming aura so as not to fall asleep but it left him extremely tired. That, he could not resist.

"You know, we can just stay here a bit, so you can get some rest!"

He could hear the urgency and sincerity in her voice he wasn't accustomed to hearing being spoken to him. "It's fine. Let's just go. I don't want to be down here anymore." He started of, staggering a bit. Shira jumped up quickly and rushed to his side expecting him to fall but he didn't. It took a few minutes until Shira finally believed that he wouldn't pass out right there but when she finally did, he fell on her. She easily caught him and smiled, he looked very peaceful when he slept. She knelt down with him in her arms and propped him up against the cave wall. A few minutes of rest couldn't hurt. She situated him to the point where she believed he would be comfortable, slipping his gourd off and put it to the side. She was about to settle herself, when Gaara's eyes shot open, but they weren't Gaara's eyes, they were golden like his sand, at least they were for a moment, then quickly returned to Gaara's normal sky blue ones, but his face was riddled with pain. He screamed violently holding his head and pulling his hair.

"Gaara! Gaara what's wrong?!!"

He didn't answer, he didn't even look at her, he just kept screaming. "Gaara, talk to me!" She tried to touch him but he squirmed out of her reach with a fist held high in the air.

"Just go away! Leave me alone!!"

He punched her in the chest, knocking her away. It didn't seem to affect her because she hopped right back up. Gaara had risen himself and tried to walk away but the pain was too much to bear as he stumbled back down on his knees, still holding his head, screaming even louder than before. Shira rushed to his side trying to comfort him but he persisted on keeping her away. He didn't punch her anymore, he didn't seem to have the strength for it, but he squirmed out of her reach while continuing to tell her to leave him alone. He finally slipped up, making an opening for her, so she took it. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his shoulder.

He stopped.

He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to say. No one had every hugged him before. He wanted to react but didn't know how. His arms that had supported his head only a second ago fell limp at his sides. He looked down but could only see the top of her head. She kept sweetly whispering to him over and over that it was alright. He had been up on his knees before, now he relaxed a little, and fell to sitting on his legs. She still held him in her arms whispering with her sweet, lullaby voice.

When she could sense that he'd calmed down, she let go of him and looked him square in the eye. He was dumbfounded with her while she looked at him with sympathetic eyes. She finally realized why he stared at her the way he did. "Sorry. I couldn't think of any other way to calm you down."

Gaara looked away feeling a little ashamed. She just stared at him curiously, expecting him to say something, she wasn't quite sure what, just something, anything to break the awkward silence. She finally realized that he might never speak again if she didn't first. "Are you going to tell me what that was all about?"

He stared at her furiously yet he didn't quite know why. Something in the back of his head wanted him to tell her, wanted him to trust her, but his better judgment told him not to. "No."

She stood and dusted off her legs. "Okay, that's fine then."

"Fine, how can it be fine?! You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about here! You're crazy for saying that it's fine!!!" He was even more furious than before but now he understood why. She was taking this so casually, so calmly, like it was nothing. True, she didn't understand what was going on or why, but before, even those who didn't know either, immediately treated him like he was a disease and if they stayed near him, they'd catch whatever he had. But she . . .she was different, she wasn't afraid not even in the least. She could've imagined a million things wrong with him, of course she'd never be right, but they might've been much more dangerous than the truth but still, she didn't care.

She said nothing, just smiled, the sweetest smile anyone had ever given him and the friendliest one he'd ever seen from her. She gave him a hand, he took it, and stood to his feet, holding on her friendly hand for a moment longer before they started out toward the now seeable light.

The exit wasn't as far as they'd thought. They were out of the cave in a matter of minutes staring at the bright sun. It took a moment for their eyes to adjust to the sudden brightness. Before they could do anything, they heard frantic voices being carried by the wind.

"Gaara!!"

"Gaara please come out!!"

"Damnit Gaara where are you?!!!"

"Your teammates I take it." Shira was a very perceptive person. When Gaara didn't answer, she figured she was right.

Temari with Kankuro behind her rushed to their brother's side. Kankuro looked on amazed at his little brother's company. _**That's girl from before? She's with him, and she's still alive?!!!**_

Temari of course had other things to occupy her thoughts, but the sight did make her wonder what had happened the one and a half days he'd been missing. "Are you alright, Gaara?!"

"Fine." He never really had much to say to his family.

Temari looked over at the moon wench that stood next to her little brother. "You better not have hurt him!" She knew no one could but as an older sister, she felt complied to ask such a question.

"I don't really like you tone, Sand girl!" Shira placed both hands on her hips, leaning her face closer to Temari's.

"Well I don't approve of you at all Moon girl!!" Temari did the same as Shira, placing her hands on her hips and leaning in closer to the silver-haired girl.

"Temari, enough!!" Gaara wasn't in the mood for his sister's temper right now.

She didn't listen, gabbing Shira's shirt collar pulling her closer. "Wipe that smug look off your face before I smash it in!"

Shira glared at the blonde while wrapping her hand around Temari's wrist that held her shirt too tight. "Take your hands off me, Bitch!!"

Temari only squeezed tighter.

Shira got fed up. She pushed in on the blonde's middle knuckle, forcing her to let go. When she finally did, while still in Shira's grasp, she flipped Temari over her shoulder with a hard smack. Temari yelled and cringed in pain while Shira barred her teeth and narrowed her angry tsunami eyes.

"Stop it NOW!!" Gaara was furious with the women before him, his disobedient sister and this strange silver-haired girl who he was still trying to figure out. Both needed to learn to listen.

Shira dropped the Sand Kunoichi's hand and stepped back. "Fine." She was very annoyed; she really didn't like being told what to do.

It took a few minutes, but Temari finally stood up glaring at Shira. Surprisingly, Shira didn't glare back; her eyes were full of understanding and compassion, not hatred and contempt. She remembered what Temari had said to her as soon as her match during the prelims was finished. "What a pathetic display of a technique, just like you. All of that was just for show, wasn't it?" Shira never missed a beat. "At least my people have techniques, while yours throw their weight and weapons around like raving drunks." Temari had shot Shira a death glare and had received one from Shira as well. Both teams joined in, staring at each other with intent to kill. "Listen, I know our two villages haven't been very close for a long time now—"

"Damn straight! You guys being nothing but poor worthless peasants and wenches, that horrible village design and surrounded by all those animals!"

Shira cringed trying to keep under control. "Yes, and you cold, cruel, pathetic ninjas with no sense of fighting whatsoever that even the Wind Daimyo doesn't trust anymore."

Temari did the same, trying to keep her anger in check. "Yes, so what's your point?!"

"Maybe we should try to patch things up with our villages."

"Are you kidding? That is so stupid!"

"Maybe it's a good idea." Everyone looked in Gaara's direction in disbelief that those words had come out of his mouth. "I'm just sick of you two fighting all the time. Perhaps it would be a good idea to make peace with our villages."

Shira smiled. "See, Gaara has the right idea!"

Kankuro's eyes widened. _**She's on a first name basis with him too!**_

Temari crossed her arms in satisfaction. "I suppose so."

"Good!" Shira seemed pleased with herself.

Temari started of with a very confused Kankuro at her side. He wanted to ask Gaara what his relationship with the girl was but he was too afraid of how his little brother would react. Gaara stayed behind to speak with her for a moment.

"Well, that was interesting wasn't it?" Gaara only responded with a HMPH. It was a sufficient answer for Shira. "So Gaara, now that are villages have made peace, does that make us friends?"

" . . .friends . . ." Gaara played with the word he didn't quite understand. He'd never really had a friend before and no one had ever wanted to be his. "You want to be my friend?"

"Sure, you're not so bad when ya get to know ya. You're kinda cool too." She smiled the sweet smile she'd given him when she gave him her hand back in the cave. Gaara nodded in approval of her question which sufficed enough for her. Gaara turned toward his waiting family while Shira turned in the direction that was needed for her to go home, both giving each other one soft last look.


	13. Chapter 13

There were a lot of people running in and out of the hospital one morning. It all started with a mysterious entry of some blonde, short kid who was left at the door of the hospital when the sun started to set the day before yesterday, with a huge footprint next to the exhausted body. The footprint looked like that of a giant frog or toad. The next morning, two girls spent most of their time in the hospital each wanting to see two admissions, Uchiha Sasuke and Rock Lee. Unfortunately, Sasuke had been found missing when the two went to see him. Rock Lee also appeared missing but instead was found outside of his room doing push-ups. The two women, a blonde and a pink-haired were there quite a while. There was a . . .considerably plump young boy who had been hospitalized for overeating, or something to that effect had who also received many visitors as well, the same short haired blonde girl who had been with the pink with a young boy who looked either extremely tired or seemed to hate life, he looked very dull. They also moved in and out of the hospital to check on other patients such as the blonde boy who had been identified as Uzumaki Naruto. The attendants were getting very annoyed. All these people running around only meant that they would have to fill out a longer report.

Shikamaru sat by the sleeping Naruto reading some book. Finally Naruto stirred and Shikamaru took his eyes off his book. "Hey . . .you finally woke up . . ."

" . . .where am I . . ." Naruto was still exhausted, his words came out like mush.

"The hospital. I heard you've been unconscious for three days."

" . . .why am I here with you . . .?Where's the pervy sage?" He slowly began to regain conscious as his words started to become more articulate.

Shikamaru was confused with Naruto's question, no knowing who this "Pervy Sage" was but he went along with it. "How should I know?! I mean . . .I'm here because I came to visit Choji, even though it's a total drag . . .When I heard you were laid out too, I poked my head in."

Their meaningless chatter continued while unbeknownst to them, someone had slipped through the security without being seen. Lee was sleeping peacefully; because of his rash actions he had been given some sleeping pills so he didn't hear when someone stepped into his room.

Gaara walked in, confusion riddling his face. He thought back to during the fight with the green speed-demon when he was just about to kill him, that arrogant fool who called his opponent his precious student had interfered. The thought brought Gaara only pain as he staggered over the sleeping Lee. He moved his hand to hover over Lee's face, guiding the quietly slithering sand to the place he wanted to go. It slithered up at the command of its master to wrap around the face of the one that vexed Gaara so. The exhilaration he felt from a kill ran throughout his whole body.

Suddenly, he stopped, as did the sand. _**. . . .I can't move . . . **_

Naruto rushed to the front of Gaara and swung the clenched fist he held to Gaara's cheek. Shikamaru felt the pain and grunted from it as he held Gaara in his Shadow jutsu. The punch was nothing to Gaara, just a few pieces of hardened sand that fell to the ground and a slightly cracked face.

Naruto moved over to his usually bored friend's side while the sand that sat on Lee's face slithered back into Gaara's gourd. "What the heck are you trying to pull?! What were you trying to do to bushy Brows?!

"I wanted to kill him." Gaara, despite the harsh and cold words coming out of his mouth, was calm. Shikamaru shivered at the site. "And why would you want to do that? You won your match against him! Do you have a personal vendetta or something?"

"No, nothing like that." Gaara still remained calm. "I want to kill him because . . .I just want to kill him."

Naruto became extremely disturbed but showed it through anger. "Do you even know what you're saying?! Do you?!"

Shikamaru was nervous; he knew that even with Naruto fighting with him, they probably wouldn't stand a chance against the Sand shinobi. "You really weren't raised right, were you?! You're so self-centered . . ."

"If you interfere . . .I'll kill you too." He still spoke calmly. Naruto of course continued to yell despite Shikamaru trying to calm him down.

"Perhaps you should let him explain himself." Everyone looked over at the windowsill to see a young woman sitting there with silver hair and sparkling blue eyes. Shira had either been there a while and no one had noticed her or she had just gotten there.

Gaara was confused. "What are you doing here?" Shikamaru and Naruto both noticed the seemingly softer tone he used when addressing the girl but they believed it was just their imagination.

"I was passing by when I saw the commotion. Seems like I came just at the most interesting part." She smiled a cunning smile.

Shikamaru tried to frighten Gaara, telling him that since it was three against one, there was no way that Gaara could win. Shira stopped him halfway and told him she would have not part in this, so he quickly changed his argument to two against one saying it was still enough, even though he knew it was a bluff. Gaara of course didn't buy it. "I'll say this once more . . .if you keep interfering I'll kill you." Shira wondered if she fell in that category. She had seen him try to kill the one called Lee and became extremely confused again with her new friend as to why he was still acting this way. She got involved only to hopefully find out more about Subaku no Gaara.

Naruto persisted with his insolent yelling. "You can't kill me!"

Shikamaru put a hand up to stop his current yelling companion. "I told you to quit it! Don't forget . . .this guy has monster-like strength!!"

Naruto cocked a crooked smile. "But I've got a real monster inside of me! I won't lose to somebody like him!" Gaara and Shira both shot deep glances at Naruto who Shikamaru continued to argue with. Gaara felt as though the blonde could relate, the boys words almost begging him to tell his story. "A monster eh . . .? Actually . . .I've got one of those too. Just like you said, I wasn't "Raised Right" . . .In the process of my birth, I stole the life of the woman I was supposed to call "Mother" . . .in order to create the worlds strongest shinobi, my father used Ninjutsu to implant an incarnation of sand within my body . . .I was born a monster." The three listening looked on confused. "Known as Shukaku, it was the spirit of a former Sunagakure elder . . .that has been sealed inside a teakettle."

Shikamaru seemed to recognize what Gaara was speaking of. "A type pf possession art that causes the fetus to be forcibly possessed . . .To go that far . . .that's crazy. What kind of parent does a thing like that?! What twisted love."

"Love?" Gaara twisted the word with his tongue, a word that hurt him greatly. Shira noticed the scorn on his face while saying it. " . . .don't judge me by your standards . . . "Family" . . .let me tell you what that word means to me. Mere hulls of flesh . . .connected by hatred and murderous intent." He stared at them with a blank, emotionless face, only further emphasizing his inhuman belief. "My mother's life was sacrificed . . .so that I could be brought to life as the villages greatest masterpiece . . .and as Kazekage's son. My father taught me secret shinobi skills, one after another. I was raised in isolation, spoiled and overprotected . . .at first I thought that was love . . .until the incident."

Gaara stopped his explanation, forcing Shikamaru and Naruto to ask what the incident was. He started to talk again, his lips parting slightly but he said nothing. Again the two boys asked what he was talking about. His mouth parted a little more now, showing off a wicked, demented smile. "For the past six years . . .ever since I turned six . . .my father has been trying to assassinate me. I've lost count of how many attempts he's made . . ." All three were speechless. Shikamaru found the power to speak, asking why his father would do that after apparently spoiling him.

Gaara continued. "A presence that is too powerful becomes a presence that is feared. Having been born through jutsu . . .my mind is unstable . . .it seems the fools of the village finally realized I had emotional issues . . .To my father, in his role as Kazekage, I was the villages most powerful weapon . . .but at the same time, I was a fearsome and dangerous object . . .so apparently, when I turned six . . .they determined that I was too great a liability. Prior to that, I had been handled with care . . .like any other hazardous instrument. To them, I am now a relic of the past that they wish to erase and forget.

"So . . .for what purpose do I exist? Why am I alive? At first, when I asked myself that, I had no answer. But while I continued to live, I need a reason. Otherwise . . .I might as well be dead." Gaara changed his facial expressions quite a bit when he spoke. He now had a hard look. "So this is what I came up with . . . "I exist to kill all humans other than myself." Living in constant fear, knowing I might be assassinated at any moment, I finally found inner peace." To a sly, dashing, sexy look. "By killing those who sought to kill me . . .I was able to discern a reason for living and justify my own existence." Back to his usual cold look. "I would fight only for myself and love only myself. If all other people exist to magnify that love, then there is no more splendid world than this one. They allow me to experience the joy of living . . .for as long as there are people out there for me to kill . . .then I will not cease to exist." He smiled and evil smile.

Shira realized that he truly was alone in the world, why he had acted to strangely when she asked to be his friend. He had no one to talk to, no one to turn to. Even his own teammates who she knew to be is siblings distanced themselves from him. No one had ever shown him any love in the world, so his mind became twisted. _**No wonder he's the way he is!**_

The sand in Gaara's gourd poured out slowly while Gaara spoke. Now it had engulfed the room prepared to kill anything it touched. "Now . . .help me feel alive!"

"ENOUGH!" Someone stepped in the room, an adult by the deepness of his voice. "The finals start tomorrow. Don't be in such a hurry . . .unless you're eager to become an impatient today?" It was Might Guy. Gaara felt the stinging pain from before, giving him incentive to leave, but he didn't without a few farewell words. "I will kill you all . . .just you wait."

Then he left. The boys looked back over to where they had last seen the girl but she also was gone. Gaara was up on a roof now when he realized he'd been followed. He turned to see the silver-haired girl in front of him. "What the hell was that back there?! You've gotta know that isn't a good reason to just kill people!"

He looked at her strangely, he knew she wouldn't understand. "What about you? Don't be so hypocritical and judge me when you did the same during the exam."

"That wasn't just killing because I felt like it! We hate Sound ninjas!! They killed everything we loved and cared for! We kill them for revenge and someday, we intend to kill them all!!!"

Gaara was shocked but he didn't show it. "Whatever." He jumped off in a flash before Shira could say anymore. "Friends don't leave friends hanging like that!!!" Gaara could hear her just fine. He realized that they couldn't be anything even closed to friends since he now was sided with the thing she hated most.

Kero stood among the quiet trees, just standing, not doing anything of real interest. The scent of scorch and burning filled the air. Her eyes lay peacefully closed for only a moment more, then with a quick motion, shot open. Her albino-pink eyes swirled like liquid metal and took on a hint of red as a nearby tree caught on fire in a flash and was a pile of ash just as fast. Kero's eyes melted into their normal hot-pink look as she relaxed and stared at the smoking pile of ash and smiled at her success. "Finally, that one month training really paid off! Go me!!!"

"Hey, Kero." Naruto was making his way threw the woods to get to the arena. It was finally the day of the exams. Kero had been getting in a little extra training before she made her way as well. "Hi, Naruto!!" She ran over to him and jumped, wrapping her arms around his neck and shaking him violently.

"Kero, what are you doing?!" Naruto's words were horse from his cut off air supply.

"I'm just so happy! So, so happy!!!" She continued to shake him back and forth, faster now and harsher.

"Why are you happy?" It took her a moment to answer since she could barley hear him. She released her dizzy captive and smiled. "It's a secret! But hopefully you'll get to see it during the exams!"

Naruto regained himself when the words Kero spoke registered in his mind. "Is it a new jutsu?!" He was suddenly so exocentric.

"You'll just have to wait and see! Well, I'd better go. See ya, Naruto!" She waved to him sweetly and jumped off. Naruto smiled as well, she had always been so nice to him. He quickly realized why he'd come that way in the first place and ran off toward the exams as well.

Naruto was there seconds before he was late and there stood Kero, nonchalantly, as if she'd been there for a long time. "Kero, how long have you been here?"

She thought for a moment. "Hmmm . . .a few minutes."

"What?! How?! You left only a few seconds before I did!!" Naruto was quite furious.

Kero smiled. "I ran." Naruto bowed his head and sank into himself.

"Hey! Stop fidgeting! Stand still and face forward, toward the guests . . .for all of you are the stars of these finals!" Shiranui Genma stood before the thirteen students, proudly showing them off before the stadium jam packed with spectators, some of the wealthiest lords, to the poorest commoners, all extremely excited to see the battles that would soon take place.

When the crowds finally died down, The Hokage was greeted by a familiar cloaked face who he greeted with a smile. "Ah . . .well, well . . .Lord Kazekage!" The leader of Suna stood before The Hokage with two bodyguards at his sides. Temari and Kankuro stood erect in their mighty father's presence. Gaara, on the other hand, did nothing of the sort. He merely glared at the man he was supposed to call father.

"You must be tired from your long journey." The Hokage directed The Kazekage toward the elegant chair that waited for the Suna lord to sit in it.

"Oh no . . .I'm happy to make the trip. Of course, you're still hale and hearty . . .but the voyage might have been a bit harder on you, Lord Hokage. Perhaps you ought to choose your successor soon . . ."

"Ha ha . . .well, don't bury me yet! I hope to continue here . . .for another five years, at least." The Hokage began to stand, his old joints shaking from the drastic movement. "Well then . . .we ought to begin . . ."

Despite the fact The Hokage was getting quite old, his booming voice hadn't aged in the least. He greeted the guests with a loud, strong welcome so that all could here. He introduced the fourteen candidates to the guests and asked that everyone enjoy themselves. "Please sit back . . .and enjoy!"

When The Hokage sat, The Kazekage eyed him suspiciously. "Fourteen candidates . . .? It seems you are missing one . . ." The Hokage didn't respond.

"Before we begin, I have a few announcements . . .look here!" Everyone looked once more at the matches and their set-ups. Many noticed that Kinuta Dosu's name was not on the schedule. Some noticed but didn't care, other noticed and wondered but didn't put that much thought into it. Naruto and Kero both wondered what had happened to Uchiha Sasuke.

"All right then . . .match one, Uzumaki Naruto . . .and Hyuga Neji. You two, stay down here . . .the rest of you, proceed to the waiting room outside the arena!" Everyone did as was told and walked up to the balcony that overlooked the arena. "Now then . . .match one . . .begin!!"

Naruto and Neji stared each other down for a moment while everyone in the stands snickered at Naruto, already deciding that he would most absolutely loose. Naruto finally made a move and summoned his signature Kagebushin no Jutsu, Art of the Shadow Doppelganger to create four clones. Neji, using his Byakugan, could see that Naruto had distributed his chakra evenly among himself and the clones.

"Hey!"

"Don't"

Underestimate"

"Me, okay?! The four doppelgangers rushed Neji, each with a kunai clutched tightly in their hands. Neji easily jumped over the first two, kicking both away in the back. When he landed from his jump, the second set rushed him from opposite sides. He proceeded to spin and when the two doppelgangers were in striking range, he slammed both in the chest, knocking them away. The first two got to their feet and tried an attack from behind. Without even turning around, he stopped their advances with his bare hands, knocked both in the jaw with his elbows, and finally, quickly turned to shove them away, open palmed. All the clones vanished in puffs of smoke leaving Naruto bewildered.

Neji cocked a satisfied smile, looking at the confused fool before him. "You want to be Hokage, huh? I don't think that's gonna happen. I can pretty much tell, with these eyes of mine . . .abilities and talent are determined at birth. In other words, your entire destiny is set from the time you're born."

Naruto had heard enough of this before from when he fought Hinata. He questioned Neji's way of thinking, shouting about how much bull his words seemed to be. Neji of course wasn't convinced, stating that everything is preordained from before we are born. "All of us . . .have only one thing in common . . .one shared fate . . .death."

Naruto looked at him strangely, perhaps feeling a slight bit of sympathy for the Hyuga but if any at all was there, it was gone in an instant. "Well . . .of what?! I guess I'm just a sore loser!!" He again assumed the cross with both index and middle finger to summon The Kagebushin no Jutsu once more, only he summon many more this time a few dozen perhaps. They all charged with a loud battle cry but none were able to land any hits on the quick Neji, who dodged everything they threw at him. He slipped threw them all, believing that once again, the real Naruto had stayed in the back away from the fight. He jabbed Naruto in the heart who coughed up blood in response while the doppelganger popped away.

"I told you it was useless."

Naruto started the chuckle at Neji right before popping away. Neji turned to his back as fast as he could to see two more Naruto charging him with clenched fists. It looked as if Neji had truly lost the match until the punches landed. Neji held his ground as a shield of pure chakra surrounded his entire body. He spun to create a ball of chakra around his body, knocking the clone and the real Naruto away. Naruto was very confused. Hinata, who was also in the stands, along with her father Lord Hiashi knew what had happened and were amazed. A move called Rotation that's an absolute defense, sending chakra to every inch of the body and then spinning like a top repelling any attack.

While Naruto still sat bewildered on the ground, Neji crouched down in a new stance, arching his body forward, legs spread apart as well as his arms. He took off, jabbing Naruto with his index and middle fingers hitting him in two separate parts of his body. "Eight Trigrams, Two Palms!" He did it again, this time hitting him in four places. "Four Palms! Eight Palms!! Sixteen Palms!! Thirty-two Palms!! Sixty-four Palms!!!"

Naruto flew back, landing hard. He tried to get up but struggled to do so.

Neji seemed pleased with himself believing he'd won. "I've pressed sixty-four of the chakra points around your body . . .you can no longer even stand."

Naruto concentrated as hard as he could, finding the impossible strength forcing himself to stand. "I told you . . .I'm a sore loser!"

"Listen, just give up, all right? If you keep going, it'll only be more of the same. And I don't really have any grudges against you, so . . ."

"SH-SHUT UP! I . . .I DO, ALL RIGHT?!"

Neji was confused. "What are you talking about?"

Naruto scolded Neji for his cruel treatment, saying he played horrible mind-games with which Neji responded with a shut up. Naruto did nothing of the sort and continued to yell at Neji who only glared at the blonde chatterbox. He finally couldn't stand the scolding so he volunteered his so-called "hateful" family history. "There's a secret birthright Ninjutsu passed down . . .in the Hyuga Main Branch. It's . . .a curse mark jutsu. This curse mark represents a "Caged Bird" . . .and it is proof that some people are bound to destinies from which thy cannot escape!"

Neji removed his headband to show off his forehead. There, tattooed on his brow was an old Buddhist imagery symbol called a Manji. He claimed to have received it when he was four, the day a grad festival was being held in honor of a recent peace treaty with Kumogakure, The Village Hidden Among Clouds, the same day as Hinata's third birthday. "This curse mark signifies an absolute threat of death imposed by the main branch upon the cadet branch! The secret techniques of the main branch can easily destroy the minds of those of the cadet branch . . .so, of course, killing us is a simple task. And this curse mark only fades after death . . .after the secret of the Byakugan has been sealed away!!" He continued, stating that the Byakugan was one of the finest Kekkei Genkai and many would do all they could to try and get their hands on it. The Cadet Branches only true purpose was to keep that secret safe. He stopped for a moment, then finally began to speak of some. He again stopped and chuckled slightly, full of hate and malice before he started again. "My father was murdered by the Main Branch."

Hinata had been kidnapped by some rouge ninja but stopped by Lord Hiashi just in time. He unmasked the kidnapper to find it to be the Raikage with whom Konoha had just signed a treaty with. Hiashi, unfortunately, killed the lord so it was demanded that he be turned over to Kumo as a sacrifice. Hiashi would be the bargaining tool to keep war from spreading again. But, since Neji's father, Hizashi, and Lord Hiashi were twin brothers, he was given to Kumo instead of Hiashi.

Naruto still refused to listen to Neji's ramblings about fate and destiny while Neji called him hopeless. He put his headband back on and rushed Naruto and again knocked him away. Neji started off but again Naruto got up, calling Neji a coward. Neji, furious, snapped and started yelling at Naruto, claiming he didn't understand a thing. What Neji would never know is how much Naruto completely understood how Neji felt, being persecuted as the Kyubi all his life but not knowing why. At least Neji knew the source of his pain. "Actually . . .I understand it pretty well . . . And? So what?"

Neji was furious but Naruto went on telling him how much Hinata had been suffering as well trying to better herself. Neji calmed down after Naruto's ramblings stopped, remembering and reminding Naruto that there was no way he could put up a fight now. Naruto insisted he could but knew it was only a bluff. He remembered his training with the Pervy Sage who had taught him to harness the Kyubi's chakra. _**Hey, Fox . . .Lend me your strength!!**_ The chakra that flowed from him was massive and immense. Neji tried to watch with his eyes but was frightened off by the massive and beast-like chakra flowing through his body. Nine large lines of chakra poured out and swirled around his body, like tails of pure chakra. "HERE I COME!!"

The chakra tails encircled him, covering his whole body increasing his strength and speed to the extremes. He sped off, seeming to have disappeared, until he reappeared up overhead with shuriken in his hand. He flung them at Neji who used his Rotation to block them. While stopping his spin, he grabbed the falling shuriken and flung them back at Naruto who dodged as well. Both pulled out a kunai and flung them at each other, the kunai knocking each other down. They rushed each other once more, their intense chakra clashing together. WHEN I BECOME HOKAGE . . .I'LL CHANGE THE HYUGA CLAN!" They clashed together with a loud KABOOM forcing each other apart.

Craters were left from where both landed and it looked like only smoke would come out until a hand shot out. Neji pulled himself out of the hole coughing from the dust. He stood, staggering his way over to the unconscious Naruto who lay cradled up in his hole. "Sorry, Failure . . .it's too bad, but . . .this is reality."

He stopped and noticed a few rocks flying up in his face along with a balled up fist. Naruto flew up from another hole directly in front of Neji, punching him under the jaw. Neji flew back and could no longer move while Naruto just barley walked over to Neji. "in the middle of all of that, you managed to create a shadow doppelganger? Your signature Ninjutsu . . .that was careless of me . . ."

Naruto stopped for a moment, breathing heavily. "I . . .I failed the academy graduation exam three times . . .Because, unluckily for me, the exam always tested the same Ninjutsu . . .my absolute weakest Ninjutsu. And my weakest Ninjutsu . . .was Bushin no Jutsu . . .The Art of the Doppelganger."

Neji was astonished.

"So shut up about "Destiny" and "Inescapable Fate" . . .you shouldn't whine about such trivial stuff! "Cuz . . .unlike me . . .you're not a "Failure."

"The winner is . . .Uzumaki Naruto!!

The audience clapped and congratulated Naruto on his amazing feat. He smiled and jumped around like crazy with his boundless amount of energy.

Neji was taken to the hospital to be treated. The doctors seemed busy until the sound of a door opening was heard and the doctors stopped. "Y-Young Miss . . ."

"I'd like to speak to the Hyuga boy." Mayuri, with all her grace and poise, stood at the door. The doctors did as was asked of them, recognizing her status, and left the room. Neji started to sit up, to which Mayuri protested to but he insisted, no longer being able to lie down. She sat at the chair beside him while he sat up on the edge of the bed, both staring deep into each other eyes, Mayuri's endless black ones and Neji's pure white ones. Finally, she spoke. "Do you understand now what we've been trying to tell you all this time? Nothing in this world is set and it never will be."

Neji said nothing, only averted his eyes.

She continued, noticing that her words weren't reaching him very well. "When I was a child and just starting to learn my family's jutsu, I was just like you actually. Even though my family had all of our knowledge and skills, I believed that it was nonsense and it couldn't have been what we were meant to learn."

Neji wasn't very familiar with the Kanna teachings though he did know that the family had some hidden knowledge of some kind. He wasn't quite sure what she was talking about but he didn't stop to ask.

"My family must've misunderstood our teachings. I was right and everyone else was wrong. But one day, my mother told me of a story of her childhood. She was considered the strongest Kanna in history, she was undefeatable. One day, the heir to the Hyuga Clan came for something or another so she decided to test her strength against her greatest enemy. She lost."

Neji almost smirked at the satisfaction from the edge in her voice from her last two words but for fear of angering her again, he forced himself to keep his straight face and bit back his tongue.

"It took a while for her to get her reputation back, but she never forgot that lose. That's the day she said she finally understood what we had been taught all our lives. Just because my mother was the best in Kanna history, that didn't make her undefeatable. I finally realized what they had been pouring into our heads all this time. Just because humans were meant to walk, it doesn't matter whether or not we ever fell down. What matters is if we stand right back up."

She fell silent to see if what she had said had sunk in. It seemed as though it did. She began to stand up to leave but she looked at him one more time. "That's all I wanted to say." She reached out to open the door when it opened before her. Lord Hiashi stood in her wake.

He glared at her. _**A Kanna?!**_

She glared back in her own simple, elegant way. He opened his mouth to speak God-knows-what but before he could, she bowed to him at the waist with her right arm fully extended. Neji did not recognize the bow but his uncle seemed to. He bowed in the same way, not quite as elegant as she had, she being a woman and he a man, but other than that the bow was the same. They rose in time with each other, she giving him full eye contact. "So . . .you are of the head Kanna family then." Neji now understood that it was some sort of formal greeting among the heads of the two warring families.

"We are all the same family, Lord Hiashi. Mine just runs a few things and fills out some paperwork. We're not any better than the rest of our own."

Her comment greatly annoyed him but he didn't say anything. "I'd like to speak to Neji, if you don't mind."

"Not at all, I was just leaving." She flashed him a simple smile, they walked right past him without another word from either.

The crowd was astir from anticipation of the next match, only to start a ruckus when it was postponed. Sasuke was not there yet and his match, the match most had come to see, was being delayed. The Hokage was going to declare Gaara the winner, but The Kazekage insisted that they wait until he arrived because his battle was so highly anticipated. The Hokage agreed. Next match was to be Kero vs Kankuro but he flinched at the thought. "I withdraw!"

No one understood why he did what he did, especially Kero, who needed consoling from her twins to restrain her. "What the hell, man! I was really looking forward to my match, damnit!!!"

"Please, Kero, you really must control yourself." Hyosue, remaining calm, held on tightly to her waist and legs while Hyoue held her arms suspended above her head. Hyoue tried to yell at her as well but Hyosue hit him every time he opened his mouth.

They had to move on to the next match. Kazuken Shira vs Aburame Shino. They both went down and stared at each other. Shira knew from watching his previous fight that her Jujutsu and Kenjutsu would be no use so she would have to use her real jutsu. She sensed its presence so her eyes scanned the seats till she found it. Someone was drinking a glass of water, a very full glass. Before the mans lips touched the glass, her hand sprang up, summoning the water with her hand. Shino's eyes might've widened but who could tell with his round FBI glasses. The water glided in a long stream to her side. She played with it by waving her hands in all directions watching the water obediently follow like a puppy.

"How can you do that without any hand signs?" With Shino's normal, uninterested voice, one couldn't tell if he was interested or whatever else you could feel at the time.

Shira giggled seductively. "It's a secret!" With a push of her hand the water clumped together at the end of the long stream to form something like a ball and flung itself like a whip at Shino. He barely dodged the bludgeoned whip, while secretly planting a few beetles around the arena. She continued to throw the water at Shino while he continued to plant two to three bugs on the ground. Finally, he slipped up and she hit him in the chest, knocking him back. She stepped close but not too close so if he released the bugs from his coat, she could dodge easier. The water hung over him like a piano in New York hanging by a few wires. It was no longer a stream but a perfectly shaped round ball hanging over his stomach. Her right hand was also balled in a fist handing over her opened left fist. She would've completed her attack, if the circle of bugs surrounding her hadn't jumped up and attacked her. She barely got out of the way in time, but she couldn't catch her water. The bugs jumped for her water and devoured it.

_**Damn!**_ That was the only water that was present in the whole stadium. She searched frantically to find any trace of it.

Shino stood up still looking like a secret agent again. "You might as well give up. Your Jujutsu and Kenjutsu are useless and there is no more water for you to control. You've lost."

Shira looked at him suspiciously, a sly smile sweeping across her face, followed by a maniacal laugh. "AHAHAHA! HA! HA! HA! HAHAHA AHAHAHAHAHHAHA! You really think that I've lost just because your bugs drank up that water?!" She continued to laugh as her hand waved about in a graceful manner until it was visible that something was gathering near it and growing. "Remember this." Her laughing finally ceased as a large shadow spread over the arena. Shino's eyes spread over his glasses. "With the water vapor in the air, I can create as much water as I want."

A tidal wave stood behind her, waiting for her command. With the push of her hand, the tidal wave swept past her and crashed on top of Shino. The water smashed into every corner of the arena like water filling a pool. When the water started to calm, Shira gracefully walked on the top until she was positioned in the center of the oversized pool. The water started to recede in droplets until it seemed as though there had never been any water at all. Shira was standing on a thin discus made of water in the air until all the water was gone. The discus vanished as she walked over to the unconscious Bug-boy.

"Winner, Kazuken Shira!" She walked off to her teammates while the medics took care of Aburame.


	14. Chapter 14

The next match was Hyosue vs Izonza. Everyone was pretty quiet as both jumped down to face each other, both graceful in their own way. Izonza had polished, primped, painted, and manicured her precious nails for the event. Hyosue noticed when they caught the sun and thought it was best to be polite. "That's an interesting color."

"OOOHHH! You like it, it's between a Sea-Foam Green and Turquoise. I woke up feeling oceany today!!" She was very enthusiastic, showing them off and jumping for joy.

The proctor was getting a little annoyed with all the noise. "Begin!"

Izonza was by Hyosue's side immediately, smacking him away with a back-hand punch. He used his hand to catch himself and get some distance between the two while she continued to examine her perfect nails.

"Why don't you attack me with your nails like you did to that guy in the prelims?!"

She smiled her spicy smile. "All you can use is Taijutsu so I might as well do the same." She rushed him, swinging her fits like a boxer gone mad but he dodged every punch. He was quite good at it, very quick on his feel. In a moment of frustration, she swung but dropped her guard and left herself open. Hyosue noticed and took the opportunity to swing a punch to her face. It landed, knocking her back as she caught herself with her hand. Now, she was mad.

"You're really starting to piss me off! If you wanna die so bad then fine! Kamisori Kugi no Jutsu! Razor Nail Technique!" She crossed her arms in an X formation, flexing her claws like a hawk with its talons as it approaches it's prey. She was faster now, Hyosue had a harder time dodging but he was still able to move out of the way at just the right moments. He saw an opening once more as his fist balled and swung for her face.

She smiled. _**Fooled ya!**_

Hyosue realized it too late that she had faked an opening to get him to attack her. Izonza stopped his fist, wrapping her hand around his wrist. Natural human reflexes force one to reach up and attempt to free themselves. Hyosue was no different as he reached up to try to free himself from her grasp but Izonza took hold of this wrist as well. Her mouth slowly lowered towards his neck. She opened it to show her lovely rack of pearly whites and inhumanly large and sharp canine teeth. "Kamisori Kiba no Jutsu! Razor Fang Technique!" Hyosue desperately tried to free himself, finally spinning himself out of her hold but not without being grazed. Her fangs had pierced his skin and ripped threw his flesh as he pulled away. The wound wasn't deep or severe, but it was bleeding.

He smiled in response. "It must be horrible if you bite your tongue with those."

"Would you like me to bite your tongue so you can find out?" She rushed him again, swinging her claws and chomping her jaws like a vicious wolf. As he moved around, more blood spilled out of the wound while finding no time to wrap it up, barely enough to hold on to it with his own hand. He hadn't really wanted to use anything but Taijutsu until the later matches but he realized this was as good a time as any. He waited for the perfect moment when she would need to take a larger stride to reach him which was a few mille-seconds longer than normal. That was long enough. When the time came, the wind seemed to gather under his feet, and he jumped.

He was as graceful as an acrobat, jumping with little footwork and graceful movements, rolling back to land at the other end of the arena. The crowd was jittery.

Izonza was impressed. "OOOHHH! Looks like we got ourselves a little rabbit here. A little rabbit for me to hunt!" She licked her lips in satisfaction at the idea of rabbit's foot for dinner or maybe some rabbit stew. She made a mental note for later.

Hyosue took the opportunity to rip a piece of his shirt off and tie up his neck. It wasn't a very good job since it was rushed but it would have to do for now. After which, he pulled out a long and somewhat flat, wooden stick about 7ft. tall. It looked old and worn out, the wood was pealing and it had lost its rich mahogany color.

"You plan to fight me with that old piece of crap? P-AA-LL-EE-SS! I'll cut it to pieces before it even touches me."

He smirked. "It isn't meant to touch you." He took the rod in both hands and smacked it on the ground. The impact forced two wooden extensions out of the sides of the rod. When the wood snapped perfectly in place, thick sheets of paper slipped down as well, connecting at the ends of the wooden extensions and opened up like sails.

Izonza was staring, unable to take her eyes off of this amazing thing before her. She had the attention span of a cat.

While she still watched with great anticipation, Hyosue began to spin the rod while the fan-like extensions gathered wind. Huge torrents of wind began to swirl with the rod, so much that it looked as though it would burst any minute, scratching the already worn wood. Izonza could feel a warm heat growing from the center of the winds.

When everyone truly believed that they saw a bold of lightning in the swirling winds, Hyosue jumped up high into the air and swung the rod, taking the storm with it. "Hibashira Nettaiteikiatsu no Jutsu! Blazing Cyclone Technique!" The rod vanished in the middle of the tropical storm, winds swirling in all directions, taking most of the trees and the ground inside it. It was hot, blazing hot and Izonza could barely dodge it. She did but one wave grazed her hand, slashing one of her nails right down the middle. The cyclone hit the ground and carved deep into it before it dissipated. The earth was smoldering with a few small fires all over.

Izonza kept staring at her once perfect index finger. Half the nail had been severed and fallen off, right down the middle. It would have been bleeding much more if the winds hadn't been so hot. She kept shaking it back and forth to dull the sting.

Hyosue's rod was still in the air spinning. He jumped up once more to catch it as the extensions slid back into their place while he landed just as gracefully as his jump had been. "Not so much of a piece of crap now, is it?" He smiled triumphantly.

Izonza wasn't impressed. "You Dick!!! What the hell is your problem?! Why'd you have to go and break my nail?! Do you have any idea how much this stings?!!!" She waved her hands in the air, showing off her severed nail.

"You probably can't fight me too well with just one hand, now can you?"

She looked at him as if he was insane. "Who said anything about me fighting one-handed?" Izonza inspected her nail one last time. Only half had been ripped off so it would be much easier than when the whole top had been ripped off. She lifted her finger to her mouth biting down on the half that was still in tack, and pulled, ripping the nail from the root.

Hyosue was dumfounded. "Why the hell did you just do that?!"

Izonza spit the nail in her mouth out and licked the trace of blood from her lips. "If a wolf breaks a nail, it always rips off what is left. An animal's nails grow back much faster than a human's. And mine grows back even faster than that." As she spoke, her nail extended up to its proper place. It looked quite out of place with the painted ones but still, it was perfect, as if it hadn't been ripped off at all. "That attack was pretty cool. Sorry I underestimated it and all that. If you're showing off the big guns, then so will I." She rose her hands up for three hands signs, Tora, Tiger, Uma, Horse, and Ryu, Dragon. Her hands began to glow with a bright, white light between her palms. She thrust her hands toward him, sending the bright light his way. "Kibashiri no Jutsu! Running Fang Technique!" The light was much to fast for him to dodge, enveloping him in the white light. No one could see anything but the sound of screaming was obvious.

When the light cleared, Hyosue was barely standing, covered in slices all over his body. His eyes were hazy; his legs were shaking trying as hard as they could to keep him standing while he stood in a pool of his own blood. Hyosue thought he heard his brother and Kero call his name but because of the trauma, he couldn't hear very well. He kept trying to concentrate on the sound or any sound at all but he was disturbed by what he thought was the hard ground and some thick liquid that smelled like blood.

"Winner, Izonza!"

Hyoue watched in horror as his poor brother fell in the pool of blood, dazed. He jumped off with Kero not far behind and rushed to his younger brother's side while screaming his name over and over. The proctor told him to stay back and not to touch Hyosue, but he didn't listen. Hyoue scooped his brother up and wouldn't let anyone touch him. The medics pulled and tugged on Hyoue's arm, some begging and some demanding that Hyoue give them his brother, but he couldn't part with him. He could barely hold back the tears. "Hyoue, please, you've gotta give them Hyosue or he'll die!" Kero was the only one who actually got a response.

"Just leave me alone!!!"

They finally separated the twins, both soaked in Hyosue's blood. He wouldn't listen to anyone, not even Kero could get anything to him. His face was blank, unreadable. Izonza hadn't moved an inch since Hyoue had come down. She felt a little bad and wanted to calm the brother down so she took a step toward him. The slight movement of her foot lifting off the ground stirred Hyoue out of his dead state. He rushed her, nothing but rage in every inch of his body, balled fist, with intent and resolution to kill. He was in her face in a second with a punch following. He might've hit her, if Mayuri hadn't jumped in between them and stopped the punch in her hand.

"Leave Izonza alone. Your match is with me."

He growled at her furiously while she remained unfazed. Izonza took the opportunity to say what she wanted to say. "Um . . .those wounds weren't sever, there was just a lot of them. He'll be fine."

In response, Hyoue ripped his fist away from Mayuri's hold, staring at her in silence while she did the same. Finally he spoke. "Our match is next so we should just stay down here."

"I agree."

Izonza and Kero took this as something like "Get the fuck out of here now!" or something to that effect as they jumped back up to the stand.

The proctor took the hint as well. "Begin!"

"I won't hold back!" Hyoue was still furious with Izonza, but for interfering with his attack, he was now just as furious with Mayuri.

"Then I won't either." Despite that, Mayuri was still her deadly calm.

"Lord Hizashi, is this seat taken?" Hizashi along with his second daughter Hanabi looked up to see Neji beside them.

"Neji, is it alright for you to be up?!" His uncle seemed very concerned.

"I'm fine, Lord Hizashi. Do you mind?" Neji gestured to the empty seat beside his uncle.

"Oh, no, not at all, please sit down!" Neji did as he as told. "You got here at the perfect time. That Kanna girl's match has just started."

"Seriously!" He was a little too enthusiastic for his own good. He didn't realize it until his uncle and cousin were staring at him strangely. He said nothing, only looked toward the arena acting as if it was nothing. His family didn't ask questions, only explained what had happened during the last match to him.

"I thought you weren't going to hold back. I think just standing there qualifies as holding back." Mayuri was starting to get a little annoyed watching him just stand there looking down at his feet.

"I'm trying to calm down."

"Is it working?"

"No! Not really!" A bold of lightning struck down right next to Hyoue to the surprise of everyone. No one had even noticed the storm that had suddenly formed out of nowhere. When the dust made from the bolt cleared, everyone saw some sort of weapon next to him. It looked like a naginata from a distance but a closer looked would've verified it was a glaive.

The two blades held a spark, a few bolts of lightning leaping over the metal. Hyoue rose the glaive high in the air, strengthening the deadliness of the impending storm. "I'll avenge my brother!! You're going down!!!" He swung the glaive at Mayuri, sending a huge ball of lightning at her. "Raikou Kattaa no Jutsu! Lightning Cutter Technique!" The ball was quick, cutting a path for itself right threw the earth.

"Munashii no Jutsu! Void Technique!" With the rise of her hands, her black void rose up above her head to create a dome around herself. The dome barely held against the power of the Raikou Kattaa, finally forcing a small hole to send some of the lightning inside. Mayuri quickly opened the top of the dome to jump out, almost as high as and even more graceful than Hyosue had.

"You're not getting away from me!" The ball of lightning hadn't dissipated yet; it was still as strong as it had been when it was first created. Hyoue used the glaive to grab the attack, sending strings of lightning to take hold of it, and swing it toward her.

Mayuri could use another dome but it couldn't have been any more effective as it had been the first time and her shield was even weaker than the dome. In the end, the only thing she could do was get out of the way so she opened a hole to her dimension and slipped inside. The lightning ball missed and was sucked back into the huge storm overhead.

"You can't hide in there forever!!" Hyoue searched frantically for any sign of her emerging from her little world.

"I can actually." Her lullaby voice echoed throughout the arena.

"You've gotta come out of there to attack me!!!"

"Well, actually, I can send an attack threw a hole but I don't necessarily need to be near said hole." She sounded as if she was having fun. "But if you're so desperate to see me, I'll come out." A black hole opened up behind Hyoue, seams of space ripping without a sound because the world she was in was dead silent. She slipped out, one hand hidden. He finally sensed her presence but too late.

Her hidden hand was raised high, all fingers tight against each other, sharp, with her black jutsu surrounding it. She swung at him, cutting his arm and a bit of his chest. It was a light cut, he had been able to dodge the worst part but it still hurt. Her hand had become a knife, sharp and strong, with her black power surrounding it.

"I won't fall for that twice!!!"

"Don't worry, I won't go back for a while."

She was merely towing with him and he knew it. Just playing with him like a pawn in a chess game. "Damnit!!!" He retrieved his glaive and rose it up to call the storm's aid. "Avoid this!!! Raikou Shigure no Jutsu! Rain of Lightning Technique!" Thousands of lightning bolts came crashing down from the heavens leaving no room to dodge. She slipped into her other world and vanished without a trace.

Small, smoking craters were lying where the powerful lightning bolts hit the ground. Hyoue wasn't out of breath but he was painting slightly. The attack was much more powerful than his first and required much more chakra. He started to realize his attack had been just as useless as the first when something black in his periph caught his attention. He tried to move at just the right time to avoid the most of it, it had been aimed for his chest, or maybe his stomach, he didn't really care. It did hit his shoulder, going straight threw. It looked like a long black rod that stretched up into the sky where Mayuri sat on an edge of one of her portals, her index finger extended toward him, the origin of the rod touching her finger. She made it vanish, letting the blood pour out.

Mayuri seemed to have no problem at all, her graceful, perfect existence easily moving around as she pleased with no trace in any way of being even the slightest bit tired. She had closed her portal in the sky and was not but a few feet in front of him. "It seems you will loose as easily as your brother."

Hyoue was shocked; he couldn't believe she would be heartless enough to say something like that. "How dare you, you little bitch!!!"

"I wasn't trying to be hurtful; I was just making a point."

"Well it hurts either way! How would you like it if I talked about someone close to you?! Like your mother!!!"

Mayuri lost her concentration as her power left her hand. "Don't talk about my mother."

"Why not, touchy subject?! What, didn't she give you enough love or something?!"

"I said don't talk about her!"

Hyoue was smiling; he'd figured out her weakness and was having fun pissing her off. "Or did she beat you or something, maybe she abandoned you out in the woods and forgot you, promised she'd come back but didn't?"

"Shut up!"

"Did she tell you you're freak and she didn't want you?"

"Shut up!!" Her hair started to rise, her eyes glazed, small rocks and pieces of earth levitated.

"Or did she try to kill you, tell you she hated you and she wanted you to die?"

"I SAID SHUT UP!!!" The black on her hands blazed like balls of fire, the earth cracked; what was left of it, and black fire burned deep inside her eyes. She thrust her hands down, bringing her own rain of black lightning bolts-like-swords to cover the arena, nearly turning Hyoue into Swiss cheese. Somehow, he was able to dodge with only a few cuts, some deep some not. He scanned over them quickly while just as quickly returning his gaze to watching for this crazy girl's next move.

She didn't give him that much time to rest. She thrust her hands toward him, shooting black bolt-like-spears at him. He dodged all but one, one that pierced his side. It hurt but he didn't have time to mess with it. All he did was pull the bolt out. It felt solid enough but in seconds is vanished. He tried once more, summoning another Raikou Shigure to hit her, but she opened space and disappeared again. When the rain of lightning stopped she appeared again, throwing more of her black bots at him.

It was back and forth for a little while, he would summon a Raikou Shigure and she would disappear. When it was safe to come back out she would throw her black bolts at him. He would dodge and they'd start all over again. Hyoue kept trying to find a weakness but hadn't had the best of time to observe. Then he noticed something interesting. Right before she disappeared, she made her power vanish for some reason. It was only a few seconds but it was as good of an opening he would get.

He waited for his turn in their little game to put a plan into action. "Raikou Shigure!" She did just as he'd hopped, forcing her black bolts to vanish before she opened a portal. When she started, the lightning stopped. She was too surprised to react properly.

The glaive rose bringing down one final strike, a huge lighting bolt right on top of Mayuri. She screamed at the top of her lungs from the intense pain all over her body.

"How'd he do that?!" Neji was amazed she lost. He'd been on the edge of his seat the whole fight watching with great anticipation to whom would win. He was sure Mayuri would but now . . .

"You didn't notice did you, Neji? That boy figured out the weakness to the Kanna's dimensional travel."

"What's that?"

"When a Kanna jumps into their world, any bit of their void must vanish first. They have no control of their powers in that other world unless they have a hole opened somewhere but if there is none and even the smallest bit of that void is left, it will grow wild and destroy everything. They must get rid of it all before they leave this dimension which gave him time to attack her."

Mayuri was still screaming as the lightning kept coming down on her. Finally, Hyoue let up and stopped his attack. Unlike Hyosue, Mayuri had no strength left and fell instantly, skin burnt and smoking.

"Winner, Hyoue!"

"Mayuri!!!" Both Shira and Izonza jumped down and ran to their friend, screaming her name but because of her burns, they were afraid to touch her. The medics finally rushed her to the infirmary with a special burn treatment that would fix her right up.

The two groups might've started something on the arena floor, if the proctor hadn't reminded them about the "No Fights" rule and sent them back up to the balcony.

Temari's match with Shikamaru was next and she was annoyed, she looked pissed the whole time. She pulled out her fan in a graceful manner, leaped up on her fan, and floated down to the ground.

Shikamaru really didn't want to go. _**Why am I always getting shafted in the match schedule, huh? Damnit . . .I should just withdraw too . . .**_

"All right! Go get 'em, Shikamaru!!" Naruto, in a moment of excitement, pushed Shikamaru off the balcony, watching him land on the ground on his back. _**Naruto, you jerk . . .**_

People started screaming at Shikamaru to move off his lazy ass and get the match over. Shikamaru didn't care; all he was concerned about was his second fight against a woman.

Temari couldn't stand to wait any longer. "If you won't come to me, I'm gonna go to you!!" She rushed him, metal fan held high like a club or hammer. She smashed into the ground stirring up clouds of dust and debris but Shikamaru hadn't been hit. He'd used a pair of kunai to hang on a wall. "I don't really care whether I become a chunin or not, but . . .I can't stand the idea of losing to a girl, so . . .I guess I'm in!"

Temari's only response was an angry HMPH with a powerful wave of her fan. The wall was carved with long slashed that looked to have been made by a sword or sickle, but Shikamaru had slipped away again. He was good at running. He'd hidden behind a tree looking up at the clouds. _**Oh . . .how I envy the clouds . . .they're so free . . .**_ His lovely, peaceful thoughts were disturbed by stupid Naruto yelling again. His resolve wavered a little to continue the match.

Temari wasn't so peppy. _**What's with the stupid expression on his face? Is he mocking me?!**_ "Ninja Art, Kamaitachi! Wind Scythe!!" With the wave of her fan, the winds raced in all directions, slicing and dicing everything it touched. When the wind calmed down, Temari tried to find the idiot when a black line jetted out from the shadows. She had to jump back to avoid the deadly shadow until it couldn't reach out any longer. She realized that his jutsu had some limits, only being able to stretch out so far. She drew a line in the ground, marking the limit of the shadows reach.

Kankuro watched his older sister intently, knowing her quite well by now. _**Temari's better at distance fighting than close combat anyway . . .she's practically won.**_

Without a plan, Shikamaru squatted down assuming a strange hand sign with all the tips of his fingers touching the opposite hand. A habit of his. If he got stuck in anything he did, he assumed that position which seemed to help him think. When his strategy was finally decided, he reached out to grab a kunai from his pouch.

Temari noticed, summoning another Kamaitachi. He cowered behind a tree to let it pass while slipping off his jacket. "How long are you going to keep running around?! Will you quit it already?!" She tried once more, hoping to hit something when a kunai zipped threw the wind. Temari easily knocked it away with her fan when she noticed the black jet coming toward her again. _**Heh . . .it's useless! As long as I stay behind this line, you can't catch me!**_

She was wrong. The shadow stretched out a little passed her line, trying desperately to catch her. Finally it couldn't reach any farther and stopped. He had been waiting for the sun to set a bit more so his shadow could reach out.

"Temari! Look up!!" She did as her younger brother instructed and looked up. Something was coming down creating another shadow for Shikamaru's to use. "I won't let you get away!" With it, Shika's shadow could stretch out farther to reach her. She hopped one way and the shadow followed. They sigg-sagged back and forth until the shadow couldn't reach out any longer.

She waited for only a moment to make sure the shadow wasn't coming any further, to take a graceful stand and prepare for another attack. She realized that the longer the match went on, the better a chance he had to win. She needed to formulate a plan, and looking at him was too annoying, so she slammed her open fan down to hid behind.

A Bunshin no Jutsu would make the perfect distraction so she could initiate an attack and end the match. Perfect! Perfect in theory anyway. While doing the signs necessary for a Bunshin jutsu she suddenly found herself unable to move, frozen where she stood.

"Ah . . .finally . . .the Shadow Possession Technique is a success!"

"What?!" Temari was shaking. "Why can't I move?! Your shadow shouldn't be able to reach this far! Besides . . .I can see the end of it . . ." She wasn't lying or crazy. The end of his shadow was in front of a hole previously made during Naruto and Neji's fight.

Shikamaru slowly turned his head. "I'll let you look behind you . . ." She turned with him, still shaking from her struggle to move and saw what he was showing her. It was another hole that Naruto had used to sneak up on Neji. Shikamaru had used the hole to send his shadow where he could get a hold of Temari.

Temari finally realized. Shikamaru had been messing with her, forcing her over to the hole the entire time. _**You . . .you ass!**_

Shikamaru walked forward to close the gap between them and despite all her relentless struggles, Temari walked forward with him. Everyone was cheering at the top of their lungs for the looser that was somehow able to catch this extremely dangerous woman. Shikamaru rose his hand along with Temari to force her to give up. She was still struggling with all she had; all he seemed to be was bored.

"All right! Get her!"

"That's it . . .I'm done . . .I give up!"

Everyone was speechless, "What the hell's going on" probably went threw at least 99.9 of all their heads. Temari, despite her happiness not to loose, was still confused. "Wh-What?!"

"The winner is, Temari!!"

She was insulted. Temari was a warrior and so is he, why would he give up like that. She didn't understand him at all. She flew back up to her brothers without a word while Shikamaru got chewed out by the irritated Naruto. The two groups, what was left of them, were dead silent, irritatingly silent. Kero and Shira kept exchanging quick glances. They both still hated each other but didn't know why.

Finally both couldn't take it anymore and started to mouth off. Kero's last glance started everything. "You got something to say?!"

"What's it to you?! You lookin' for trouble?!"

"Well, I found you didn't I?!" Shira didn't really see Kero move but before she knew it, a fist was in her face. Kero punched her hard, sending her flying off the balcony deep into the ground. Kero jumped off right afterward to land another but Shira recovered quickly, leaping out of the way just in time. Her punch was powerful, inhumanly powerful, leaving a crater where it landed bringing up torrents of dust.

_**Bizengan! The Priestess Eye! **_Shira rushed inside the dust with her third eye to aid her a bit to find the bitch who punched her. She found Kero much faster than she'd expected it would take and swung one of her powerful punches right in her stomach. It acted real for a moment until the clone burst into flames. _**Ho Bushin no Jutsu!**_ Shira was distracted; Kero took the opportunity to come up from behind with a swing-kick. Shira turned when she felt the presence behind her, taking the kick in the chest. She flew out of the dust and landed against the nearby wall making a dent.

Izonza was worried, Shira looked like she was loosing.

"What's going on?!" Izonza turned to see Mayuri.

"Mayuri?! Shouldn't you be in the infirmary?!"

"I'm fine as long as I don't move too much. What's going on?"

Izonza filled her confused friend in while someone came up from behind and covered Hyoue's eyes. "Guess who?"

Hyoue turned so fast and hugged him, Hyosue nearly fell down. "Hyosue you bastard!!! How are you?! Should you be moving?"

He smiled kindly. "I'm fine. The cuts were small; there were just a lot of them. She apparently went easy on me, or at least that's what the doctor said."

Izonza was listening to their conversation and becoming annoyed. _**Jeez, that's what I told him!**_

Both parties were filled in on the details while the dust cleared and Kero made her way over to her victim. Shira lay there, quiet, with a painful face. When Kero was in striking range, Shira shot up with a balled fist knocking Kero away. Kero quickly rolled on her upper back, pushing herself up and rushed for Shira throwing countless punches and kicks. Shira dodged them all while throwing punches and kicks of her own. Kero dodged them all as well.

Shira decided to show off a little and mess Kero up. While Kero brutally attacked, Shira dodged backward with very fancy movements, light as a feather, moving on her toes. Shira started to get to into it. She began flipping back. She went overboard with a leap into the air, spinning like an acrobat at the circus, landing on her feet with no effort but her fun distracted her too much. Kero was in her face with one of her swing-kicks, landing right in Shira's face. She again landed against the wall making an even bigger dent.

The Hokage was getting worried insisting that the proctors try and pry the two crazy girls off each other but The Kazekage stopped him. "Lord Hokage, let this fight go on. For one thing, that white-haired girl's match never happened, her opponent forfeited and she must have quite a bit pent up energy. Not only that, we're still waiting for Sasuke to arrive and this could prove to be some interesting entertainment."

The Hokage agreed despite his better thoughts and went along with it.

Shira didn't move but anyone close enough could see her shaking. Her fist were balled so tight her palms were bleeding, she bit down on her bottom lip so hard the blood was pouring like a stream. "That's it! That's IT!!!"

She rushed Kero at top speed, kicked her in the face, and sent her against a wall as well. When she tired to get up, Shira rushed over to grab her arm and pull Kero over her shoulder, smacking her hard against the ground like a piece of meat. Shira quickly knelt down and punched her hard in the stomach, watching the look on Kero's face as she coughed up blood. Without missing a beat, Shira jumped up directly overhead of Kero with her leg extended. Gravity took over bringing Shira down directly on top of Kero. Kero, despite her pain, rolled out of the way just in time to avoid the devastation of Shira's kick. Kero got to her feel quickly, holding her stomach and wiping the blood from the corners of her mouth.

Shira quickly took back to the offensive, punches and kicks flying out of control, Kero barely being able to dodge while searching for an opening. Shira, trying another swing-kick, connected with Kero's stomach and knocked her back. Shira winced when she felt the sharp, intense pain in her back, probably from all the wall impacts. Kero took the distraction as an opening and rushed Shira, punching her in the stomach with an immediate back-flip getting Shira in the jaw with her feet.

She flew back from the impact but was only down for a moment, quickly regaining her feet. She smiled. "You're better than I thought. I guess I'll have to drop the handicap and fight for real." While she spoke, she assumed her Wolf Claw stance.

Kero did the same, assuming a stance of her own. "Same to you, I'll drop mine too and fight for real. Would you like to go first?"

Shira smiled a deadly smile. "I was hoping you ask!" She rushed Kero, smacking her with a balled backhand fist right in the nose, knocking her head back a bit. Without missing a beat, Shira quickly followed up with a powerful kick to the stomach, knocking her away.

Kero regained quickly, jumping to her feet and running back for Shira and tried a swing-kick again but Shira had become used to this attack and easily dodged. Kero snickered to herself coldly. She had wanted Shira to dodge. She landed quickly, staying low to the ground and swung her other leg, jabbing Shira in the side, sending her flying. With her speed, Kero rushed to where Shira would land and kicked her in another direction. Again, before Shira could land, Kero was there with a kick. This went on for a while until Kero apparently became bored with her attacks and finally let Shira fall to the ground.

Shira quickly got back up as if she hadn't been attacked at all and rushed for Kero, throwing a swing-kick of her own. Kero easily dodged. Shira landed keeping close to the ground and threw a kick with her other leg which Kero also dodged. "Trying to use my own moves, how uncreative!"

Shira had expected such a response, smiling to herself in satisfaction. Quickly standing and grabbing Kero's shoulders, she kneed her hard in the stomach knocking Kero off balance. Shira jumped back landing on her hands, kicking Kero in the face with her feet, knocking her back a few steps. Shira, still on her hands, pushed forward to close the gap between the two ladies and kicked her again in the face. Kero moved back a bit and Shira again pushed forward, this time kicking her much harder and knocked her a few feet away.

Kero again regained her footing quickly and rushed for Shira who threw a punch right for her face. Kero ducked back landing on her hands, grabbing Shira's extended arm with her feet, flinging Shira high in the air. Kero quickly jumped up in the air right next to Shira, extending a leg to drop-kick her in the stomach. Being in the air, the impact didn't hurt so much but when they hit the ground, her foot was still connected to her stomach, enforcing the blow.

Kero jumped back to wait for Shira to get up, panting as she waited. Shira rose slowly, panting slightly as well. "Well, it looks like Taijutsu's getting us nowhere."

"Yeah, I hear ya. Wanna try something else?"

"Sounds like fun! You can start this time."

Kero smiled, already prepared with a perfect plan. She started with a few hand signs, Tora, Tiger, Uma, Horse, Ryu, Dragon, and another Tora, Tiger. Shira recognized the signs for a fire jutsu. "Simple Fire Jutsu won't work on me.

Kero finished her signs, Shira expecting her to blow out something from her mouth but she didn't, she punched the ground. At first nothing seemed to happen, Shira thought it had been unsuccessful. Her thoughts were disturbed by the heat from the ground underneath her. She even started picking up her feet for a few moments of relief. The earth underneath her started to smoke. Before she could react, fire sprung up from underneath the ground. She jumped up to get away but she was trapped inside a funnel of intense fire.

Kero smiled. "Katon: Gojinkahi no Jutsu. Fire Style: Volcanic Fire Technique."

Shira tried to summon some water to douse the flames but the fire stopped right when she tried. She looked over a few of the burns, most were second degree but one or two were third degree burns. She would have to heal them later.

Kero rushed her performing two more hand signs, Hitsuji, Ram and Nezumi, Rat. Shira didn't really recognize them but figured it was another fire move. Kero balled up a fist and swung a punch for Shira who was confused. _**Why is she using Taijutsu again?!**_ Shira dodged the blow but it wasn't meant to hit her. A ball of fire seemed to appear out of nothing like her punch summoned it. Kero kicked and Shira dodged but more fire leaped off of her attack and jumped for Shira. Each attack released more fire. Shira could only protect herself by creating little water shields that weren't always effective. Sometimes the fire would evaporate enough water to seep threw and hit an arm or a leg leaving small scorch marks and a few first degree burns. When she started to get the patterns of the attacks, Shira could avoid them easily without even needing her little water shields. Kero could see it wasn't working anymore so she jumped away, as did Shira.

Kero seemed to be thinking so Shira took the opportunity to deal her one back, creating a stream of water behind her back. She flung it at Kero who used her arms to block. It was an onslaught; Shira kept flinging the stream at her while all Kero could do was block. The water hurt, leaving little marks where they hit till the water started cutting her. Kero tired Shira's idea of little shields to protect herself but the water was still able to break threw and cut Kero a few times. Kero also started to get the pattern, being able to dodge without her little fire shields so Shira jumped away and stopped.

Kero quickly performed a few more hand signs, Tora, Tiger, Saru, Monkey, Oo, Boar, Uma, Horse, and another Tora, Tiger. "Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu! Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!" She blew outward, deep from her lungs, breathing out a gigantic ball of fire.

Shire felt insulted. _**I can put that out easily!!**_ She gathered a large amount of water in-between her hands, almost the size of the Gokakyu, thrusting it forward to douse the flames.

Kero smiled.

Shira freaked. Inside the ball of fire was a Demon Wind Shuriken, moving fast and headed right for her. She leaped up and over it but hadn't notice the other smaller, traditional shuriken behind the larger one. They hit, cutting every inch of her body. She could barely stay standing from impact after impact.

Sakura sat up in the audience watching. _**That looks familiar?**_

The hits finally stopped but Shira kept her arms up expecting something else to hit her. When it didn't, she started pulling out the remaining shuriken still imbedded in her arms and legs.

Kero waited, expecting Shira to throw something back in response as they had basically been doing the whole fight.

When all the shurikens were out, a ring of water started to spin around Shira. The ring broke apart sending more water around her, like a spinning ribbon. Shira rose her hand up when it seemed ready; bringing the streams of ribbon up into a ball of water hovering above her hand. She thrust her hand forward, sending the ball of water in Kero's directing. As the ball approached its target, it broke apart, again turning into its ribbon form, now sharper and thicker that it had been when it was spinning. The water hit Kero like a frat trail, plowing her against the wall. A closer look at Kero's arms and one could see them bruised and heavily bleeding. Kero slid down to the ground and sat. Shira knelt down and well, both panting heavily.

Kero finally caught a little breath. "You give up?"

Shira caught a little herself. "Not a chance! You?"

"No way!"

"Fine!" Shira stood as best she could, calling her water to her sides, creating two water clones.

Mayuri and Izonza were watching closely and started freaking out. Mayuri tugged a little on Izonza's hair. "Have you ever seen her do that before?!" She was speaking very hurriedly.

"I've never seen her do that before! Have you ever seen her do that before?!" Izonza was talking as fast as Mayuri.

"I've never seen her do that before!"

Both look back toward Shira. "Damn!!!"

Izonza looked back. "Why doesn't she just use that one jutsu of hers?"

Mayuri looked at her coldly. "She couldn't do that, Izonza. It's too powerful. She needs to keep that hidden until later in the tournament."

"I guess, but she'd never summoned clones before. She's running out of stuff to do."

"I know."

Izonza was right, Shira was running out of jutsu and this was her only idea at the time.

Kero forced herself to her feet, leaning against the wall, closing her eyes slowly and peacefully.

Hyoue and Hyosue also started freaking out. "Damnit Hyosue, she just got the hang of that! She can't use it in battle now!"

"I know but it seems she running out of things to try. No one's held up this long against Kero before."

"Don't talk like that! Kero won't loose against her!"

Hyosue only nodded.

Shira took up a run for Kero with the doppelgangers at her sides. They were in a few feet of Kero still lying against the wall with her eyes peacefully closed when she sharply opened them. They were different now, swirling like molten lava, burning red. _**Yousaigan! The Molten Eye!**_

One good look at her eyes and Shira knew it was a Kekkei Genkai but she'd never seen it before and had no idea what it did. Something red caught her attention on her right. The doppelganger was on fire, steaming away. The same happened to the second. Shira jumped away just in time to avoid the swirling fire that floated for only a moment in the place were Shira had been a moment ago.

She stayed back to think. _**Okay, she waited for me to be in about 5ft. of her before she used that Kekkei Genkai on me, so that must mean it has a short range. If I just stay away from her and attack her from over here, I should be okay.**_

Her thoughts were interrupted by a hot pain on her shoulder. She moved just in time to avoid the burning fire. _**Damnit!!!**_

"You're just as gullible as everyone else!" Kero was standing on her own now with her strength back. "You thought it had a short range didn't you? Don't feel bad, so does everyone else. But the truth is, I can send the fire anywhere I want."

Kero started to play with Shira, starting small fires around her feet, watching her jump like crazy to avoid them. She started her little fires all over her body, Shira barely able to keep up with them, desperately trying to dodge and protect herself. The fires kept coming with no actual pattern to them what-so-ever. Kero probably would've gone on until Shira was a crispy heap, if she wasn't suddenly so weak.

The fires stopped which surprised Shira. She took a good look at Kero, standing a little awkwardly, breathing heavily.

_**She's running out of chakra!**_ Shira took a look at her hand, shaking. _**Well, looks like I am too.**_ "Hey. You're running out of chakra, right?"

Kero suddenly found a burst of energy. "What's it to you?!"

"I am too. Let's say one more attack, whoever is left standing is the winner?"

"Fine with me!"

They rushed each other, both with balled fists, only mere feet from that last punch. Four flashes came down from the balcony half the speed of sound, kicking up clouds of dust. When it cleared, Hyoue and Hyosue had Kero in a lock, holding her up watching out for her flailing legs while Mayuri and Izonza had Shira to the ground, sitting on her like a mattress. Both suddenly seemed to have quite a bit of energy. "LET ME GO, DAMNIT!!!"

The crowd was cheering like crazy; they had totally gotten into it, watching these crazy girls practically kill each other. It was a great show.

Shira finally calmed down. _**Damnit! I lost!! No, they stopped me so it's just a tie, not even a tie, more like a ceasefire!!!**_ "Hey you, I didn't loose here! So don't you start talking crap, you hear?!!"

"Well, I didn't loose either so same to you!!"

Without even realizing it, both smiled.


	15. Chapter 15

"Hmm . . .what is that fool doing? He's still not here?!" Naruto, annoyed from waiting for Sasuke, stood on the arena floor, twisting his head in all directions like a cat searching for his missing friend. Everyone was just as annoyed. The audience was stirring up from aggravation, The Kages were debating, and Gaara was getting bloodthirsty.

A lone leaf fell from the endless blue sky, crisp and green. More followed gathering in a solitary place, spinning at an incredible speed, mystifying everyone. A tornado of swirling green with a somewhat harmonic sound. The leaves slowly fell from their action showing glimpses of black and a musty green inside.

"Ahh, so sorry we're late . . ."

The proctor smirked at the taller man then turned his attention to the shorter young man donned in all black from shoes to hair. "Your name?"

"Uchiha. Sasuke."

Everyone was overjoyed, except Temari and Kankuro. Gaara was overjoyed in his own way. "**See . . .he came**." His voice was much more horse than normal, leaving all the huskiness behind leaving only a cold chill down a listener's spine. He looked ferocious, smiling like a homicidal maniac staring at his next victim.

Kankuro forgot his place for a moment and turned toward his younger brother. "H-Hey, Gaara . . .don't forget about the plan, all ri—" His words were cut off by his smarter, wiser sister. She had a better sense of what was going on. "Don't talk to him now . . ." Kankuro looked deep into Gaara's eyes. "He'll kill you!"

Gaara turned and started down the stairs in a slow pace with no hurry. Two men were waiting for him at one point during the walk down, one taller than the other. Gaara stopped without a word.

The taller one spoke first. "Low-level tournaments like this chunin exam are ideal for gambling, you know . . .there are a number of lords who have come just for that reason."

The second spoke without even looking at Gaara. "And so . . .this match we want you to loose it . . ."

Gaara gave no response, only a slithering sound could be heard from the dark tunnel they stood in. Naruto had been taking his time walking back up when he heard the sound of screams and the sent of blood. He watched from a safe distance behind the stairs.

Blood was plastered on the wall like paint and on the floor like buckets of spilled water. The sent flooded the nose of anyone near, enough to bring stinging tears to ones eyes. Bits of the sand still held on to what was left of a hand. As the sand was summoned back to its master's possession, the hand was pulled up slightly with it, splashing in the blood as the sand let go. He walked on, as if nothing had happened, passed Naruto, and kept on walking. When Gaara was far enough away, Naruto had to sit down.

Gaara and Sasuke met, both ready and waiting, not even needing the proctor to start the match. The sand poured from the gourd at the command of its master only causing Gaara his head to throb. "**Please . . .don't be so angry . . .Mother . . .**"

Sasuke watched, very confused.

"**I . . .gave you bad-tasting blood earlier, didn't I . . .I'm sorry . . .But . . .don't worry . . .this time . . .I'm sure it'll be really tasty . . .**"

"The "Conversation" has started already . . .this is not good." Kankuro spoke as quietly as he could to his sister so the others couldn't here.

"I've never seen Gaara so worked up before a battle even started . . .that's how much of an opponent Sasuke is . . ."

Gaara's mind stopped torturing itself with one final throb of pain. His homicidal smile left him to his usual Basilisk, emotionless look but a bit more drowsy, almost tried and worn out with think bags beneath his blackened eyes. "Come."

Sasuke did as he was told, pulling out two shuriken and flinging them Gaara's way. A wall of clumpy thick sand rose up to catch them, as it slowly took the shape of Gaara himself, holding the shuriken between its fingers. Sasuke dashed toward Gaara but the clone broke apart at the waist sending a torrent of sand in Sasuke's direction. He jumped up to avoid it but the sand clone, a very perceptive creature, flung the two shuriken it had caught toward Sasuke who knocked them away with two more of his own. While gravity took over, Sasuke feel with a leg extended knocking the sand clone's arms away that tried to block. He spun on his hands and pushed up, returning to his feet and tried to do what he had done to the arms of the sand clone to its head. Sasuke swung a backhand punch to the clone's neck. It penetrated but didn't go all the way threw, only halfway. The sand clone smirked and swallowed Sasuke's wrist up in the sand. Without missing a beat, Sasuke forced his palm into the clone's head, destroying it.

He rushed Gaara who hadn't moved, probably hadn't even blinked since the match had started, just stood there with arms crossed as Sasuke rose a fist. The sand was fast, rising up to its unconcerned master but Sasuke, who only smirked and shifted his foot, was faster. He disappeared to Gaara's dismay and reappeared in a flash, right behind him. _**Fast! Just like . . .him . . .**_

Gaara recollected his and Lee's fight for only a moment, seeing Lee's moves perfectly in sync with Sasuke's. A punch struck him back, the sand forming a cushion to catch him in.

"Is that your Sand Armor?"

Gaara looked up; small pieces of crumbling sand fell from the cracks traced along his face. Sasuke graced his face with a cunning smile. "Come." Gaara glared, he did not move, only burned his eyes at his opponents irritating smile.

Sasuke wasn't interested in staring. "If you're not going to come to me, I'll go to you!" Sasuke vanished. The sand, sensing the movement, rose up to protect its master but the attack was not coming from the front, but the back. The sand was not prepared. Sasuke's speed was almost untraceable if not for his black clothes leaving a streak where he ran. The sand rushed toward its enemy leaving the front of its master unchecked. Sasuke bolted for the front, landing a kick to Gaara's chest, the sand again catching him. Sasuke stood, kicking leg still up, standing like a crane. "What's the matter . . .that all you can do?"

The sand swirled around Gaara while he sat seemingly calm with his eyes closed. Sasuke rushed him once more, circling him, while the sand did the same. A ring of sand swarmed around its master but left a space from itself to the ground. Sasuke slipped under the sand, giving Gaara a kick to the face, then quickly grabbing hold of his clothes to knee him in the stomach. Gaara was down on his knees panting slightly with a few more brittle pieces of Sand Armor falling off.

His sibling began to worry. The Sand Armor used up too much chakra. Temari looked up toward their father, completely enthralled in the fight.

Gaara stood, more sand pouring out of the gourd as he rose. It circled him, covered around him, forming a perfectly round ball of sand. Sasuke reacted, running straight for the closing ball.

Kankuro seemed to recognize his brother's motives. _**Don't tell me Gaara's initiating that jutsu?!!**_

The sand ball had completely closed, save for a small hole where one eye watched the Uchiha run toward him. Sand flooded toward the hole to finish the ball where Sasuke's fist was aimed.

The punch landed, spikes extended, and blood flew.

The sand ball reacted to Sasuke's presence, extending razor sharp spikes to protect the contents inside, not that it was necessary. Sasuke jumped back to examine his wounds. One spike had sliced his cheek while his hand quivered and knuckles bled. No normal punch could even scratch the ball, it was granite hard. Gaara sat within his protective defense, chanting. "Jin, Saru, Hebi, Saru . . ."

The third eye formed above the ball to observe the dumbfounded opponent, to keep and eye on him.

Temari watched her brother intently, black bags of stress forming under her eyes. _**There's no mistake, it's that jutsu! No! Gaara's so worked up that he's not remembering the plan . . .**_ "URGH . . .Gaara!"

Gaara sat within his sand dome, chanting still. "Jin, Saru, Tori, Ryu . . ."

"Holy crap! What's with the gold ball!?"

Mayuri and Izonza turned to the familiar voice they knew so well. "Shira?!!"

"What's up?"

Izonza took hold of Shira's shoulders and shook her violently. "What the hell, Woman?!! You shouldn't be moving around with your wounds!!!"

"You know Izonza, if you're so concerned with Shira's wounds, you probably shouldn't be shaking her like that."

"Stop shaking me damnit!" Shira thrust a kick to Izonza's shin, forcing her to release the silver-haired girl, hopping away crying "Ow" over and over.

Mayuri heard a shriek from behind and turned. The girl called Kero who Shira had fought was with her team as well, the ill-tempered one of the twins picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder.

"Hyoue, put me down, damnit!" She lay over his shoulder, kicking and screaming.

"Shut up! You shouldn't be down here you crazy Broad!!!"

"But I'm fine you idiot, I keep telling you that!! I don't need to stay in the infirmary anymore!!!"

"Uh, Hyoue, perhaps we should listen to Kero when she says she's fine."

"Are you insane, Hyosue?! This crazy kitty never tells us the truth!"

"Um, Hyoue was it?"

Hyoue looked to his side to see the sliver-haired girl who Kero was always fighting with, Shira. "What do you want?!"

"You don't need to worry about her, I healed hers wounds along with my own."

He starred at her suspiciously while putting his captive down. "Why would you do that?"

Shira and Kero caught eyes, for one brief moment the two attempted a friendly smile, but then quickly turned away with a glair.

Izonza took it as a good sign. "Yay, you guys are finally friends!!! That makes us friends too!!!" She took hold of her female teammates and somehow grabbed Kero and the twins as well, consuming all in a huge bear-hug. When the consumed couldn't breathe any longer, Izonza released them and the groups filled the two women in on the fight so far.

Sasuke ran about the arena testing the dome for weak points, punching and kicking around several areas, but the dome was impenetrable and the slightest touch attracted the spikes to reappear.

"Nezumi, Saru, Jin, Nezumi, Usagi, Tora, Tori, Jin . . ."

Sasuke took another good look at the defense. _**He's shut himself inside . . .I don't know what he's up to, but . . .it's fine by me. This thing of mine . . .is going to take time too . . .**_ He fiddled with the black belt wrapped around his left arm, and unclipped the buckle. He jumped back and up, sliding against the side wall of the arena, sending chakra to the soles of his feet to hold himself up, performing his hand signs, Ushi, Ox, Usagi, Hare, a different one with his hands pointed up flat with his pointer and middle fingertips touching, Saru, Monkey, and the same new one with fingers pressed together. He brought his hand down, holding it there for a brief moment until a strange chirping noise sprang up. It was just the chirping for a moment until sharp lightning-like chakra formed around his hand completely obliterating everything it touched. He started a run, racing for the sand dome.

Gaara sat in the dark of his sand, speaking to the invisible anomaly he called his mother. **"Uh-huh . . .I'm going to tear his head off . . .and crack it open and spill his brains. Huh? His head, I said . . .If I do that, he'll bleed a lot . . .and I'll give it all to you. Heh, heh! I'm always a good boy . . .Uh-huh . . .let's do it! Mother . . .I'll watch."**

The audience was enthralled with the fight, completely into it. One was literally at the edge of his seat, but a dark haze took to his vision and his eyes closed from heaviness. Several others felt this and couldn't help but fall to sleep.

Sasuke was mere feet away from the dome. It tried to protect itself, but Sasuke was too quick, dodging the spikes that were unleashed to kill him. With a powerful thrust, he forced his hand into the dome, piercing right into the center. His attack, Chidori, One Thousand Birds.

Everything lay quiet. Sasuke stood with his hand imbedded deep into the sand, standing without even blinking.

Gaara's companions were astonished.

Kankuro started to scream. "You must be joking . . .! He couldn't have penetrated Gaara's "Absolute Defense"!!"

Temari was sweating. "It can't be . . ."

Baki was spassing. "Not possible . . ."

The Chidori, also known as Raikiri, Lightning Blade, was categorized as merely a hand chop but crafted further by Kakashi. A move mostly used in assassination who's secret was held in its speed and immense chakra, turning the dominate hand into a most powerful blade.

Sasuke held his place, Sharingan activated. "Gotcha!"

The twins were really into it. "Damn!"

Kero was watching Sasuke intently. "Amazing

Shira stood as close to the bar as humanly possible, gripping it so tight her hands were screaming.

Gaara sat within his protective dome, feeling something not quite right. **"What . . .is this warm moistness . . .?Mother . . .what happened . . .?**

Something splashed onto his hand, something red and moist with an iron, rusty smell. "WAAAH!! BLOOD . . .I'M BLEEDING!!"

The scream was heart-wrenching, heart-twisting, anyone who heard it could feel the screamer's immense pain. It actually hurt to hear it.

His siblings freaked. "D-Don't tell me . . .?!"

Something began to pull on Sasuke's arm, squeezing it and trying to pull it in. Sasuke pulled back, but whatever was pulling on him was strong. The only thing he could think to do was unleash the lightning-like chakra again. It worked somewhat, he could pull his arm out enough to see what was holding it, enough to see his arm covered in blood. Sasuke cringed in pain with one final pull. What appeared to be an arm or perhaps a claw was clamped onto his.

He finally pulled away, cradling his throbbing arm. The arm slithered back without its captive into the hole Sasuke had made. Sasuke watched inside the hole, trying to catch a glimpse of Gaara and whatever the hell was in the dome with him.

It slithered and swarmed ferociously about inside, as if unhappy with its own skin, or perhaps its current confines. Sasuke tried to get a better look through the hole his Chidori had left but only saw that there was something inside, light coming through the hole and hitting traces of skin. The creature sensed its lost captive's eyes on him and, remembering the hole, looked out with one of its dilated golden eyes. Sasuke shuddered under its frightening gaze. The golden eye drifted from the hole as the dome of sand began to crack. The sand crumbled from its hardened state into normal, soft, golden sand revealing Gaara inside and nothing else.

Gaara stood among clumps of his sand clutching tightly his left shoulder.

Someone stood in the shadows of the stands, bringing a rain of deep sleep upon the watchers in the form of what seemed to be feathers. The feathers were a Genjutsu of sleep and very few were able to combat it with a Kai, Release. Kakashi and Guy were of these few.

Baki took it as a sign that the plan would soon begin.

Lord Kazekage's gaze drifted ever so slowly toward the Hokage at his right. Lord Hokage, seeing his acquaintance turn from his periph, slowly turned as well. Neither said anything but both knew far better than to tear away from the gaze of the other. Without warning, The Kazekage's two bodyguards rushed to his side, both holding smoke bombs. "Shall we get going . . .?" Both flicked the pins out, activating the bomb, both releasing clouds upon clouds of thick smoke. The explosion greatly startled those who were still awake, caused the ANBU to assemble, and so began the long awaited invasion.

It was harrowing. Ninja from Oto to Suna were invading from all directions, people were being ambushed and killed, buildings were coming down, and a giant three-headed serpent was running amuck. The ANBU squads worked with great haste to protect the nobles and lords while concerning themselves with the safety of Lord Hokage and Kazekage who were in the vicinity of the smoke bomb explosions. A small group along with a squad leader grouped in front of the smoke when the two bodyguards of the Kazekage appeared out of the smoke. The leader found no trouble in slicing both in half. Something jumped straight out from the smoke, two people it seemed. Lord Kazekage held tight to the Hokage, perhaps to help him, but a closer look would've shown a kunai held to the old man's neck.

Four figures jumped out of the remains of the bodyguards. The ANBU tried to stop the figures, but the four slipped by with ease. They were four Sound ninja, three men and one woman, all around fifteen. At the command of Lord Kazekage, the four pressed their palms together to summon a jutsu. "Ninja Art: Shishienjin! Four Flames Formation!" A large red wall sprung up around the pointed roof the Kazekage held the Hokage atop. Several tried to penetrate but even the slightest touch caught the attemptie one fire. There was no way past it.

"Fucking Sound ninja!!!" Izonza shot a deadly kick to an Oto's face, spinning his head around, killing him. Some of the Sound hadn't wanted to deal with the two jonin in the stands and decided to kill the children instead. It turned out to be far more difficult than they had expected.

"What the hell is going on here?!!" Hyoue punched one off the edge of the balcony.

"Isn't Suna one of our allies?!" Kero took hold of two, smashing their heads together.

Shira's eyes drifted up to the two Kages up on the roof. The Kazekage appeared to be pulling something off his face, no, he was pulling his face off! "Ladies, we've gotta problem here!" Mayuri and Izonza stopped to understand Shira's distress. "Orochimaru is here and he's holding The Hokage prisoner!!"

Kero's head shot toward the roof to examine an extremely pale skinned man, almost white, holding a kunai to Lord Hokage's neck. _**That's Orochimaru?!**_

"Okay, this is much more severe than we believed! Mayuri, take the east side of Konoha. Izonza, the west. Kill as many as you can!!!

"Shira, what are you going to do?" Mayuri was inhumanly calm, as always.

Shira's eyes drifted down to Gaara, who was now down on his knees with his brother and sister at his side. "I'm gonna keep an eye on that Sand rat!"

"Very well then, now you three should—" Mayuri turned to Kero and the Twins to instruct them but Kero cut her off.

"Excuse me?! Don't even think about giving us orders! This is our village; we should be ordering you around!!" Kero stood center with hands on her hips and the Twins at her side, nodding in unison with their leader's account.

Mayuri took no offence. "Of course, what do you suppose we do then?"

Kero appreciated Mayuri's acceptance. "I guess you should just stick to your plan but we're gonna move around a lot, so don't get in our way!"

Mayuri bowed her head in agreement. "Understood." And with that, the five jumped away leaving Shira in the stands.

"**UNH . . .UNH . . ."** Gaara knelt to the ground shuddering, shaking, and moaning in agony. He was suffering a reaction to his last jutsu. The creature inside him was livid, tearing at his mind with all it had bringing Gaara much torture. Gaara was useless to them now. The whole reason the Sand was so confident in the attack was because of Gaara and his power but now he was too weak and in too much pain. Baki had no choice but to instruct Temari and Kankuro to take him away so that he might regain his strength. They jumped away while Sasuke raced after them with the command of the proctor.

"I thought this day would eventually come . . ." Orochimaru smiled deviously at the old man whose neck his arm was around so tightly. "I thought I warned you to hurry up and name the Fifth Hokage . . .because the Third . . .is going to die right here . . ." The man, who appeared to be more of a snake, spoke with a maniacal hiss to his voice licked the tip of his kunai in a taunting motion while his eyes glowed with a hind of yellow.

Lord Hokage happened to notice a few drops of water forming at the tips of his eyes. "Are you overjoyed . . .? Or is it . . ."

The Hokage stopped short as Orochimaru lifted the kunai point to his throat and for only a moment, the old man was truly afraid. The kunai drew closer and closer. Finally, it found flesh and ripped threw, slipping fresh red blood.

Orochimaru held up his hand that he had just stabbed, flicking the drops from his eyes. "There . . .that feels better. Just a bit sleepy . . .some tears welled up when I yawned, that's all . . ."

The old man grinned, he knew that this man, this creature couldn't feel remorse or sadness . . .he probably couldn't feel anything at all.

Orochimaru stepped away from the old man, releasing him, and walking a few feet away, staring into space.

"I know you're not a man to be moved by hatred . . .you have neither motives nor purpose."

"Hmm . . .actually, I do have purpose. Well, to put it simply . . .I want to make the pinwheel spin with the destruction of Konoha right now . . ." The eyes of the hungry snake turned to meet the old man's who neither averted his own nor flinched from the frightening yellow gaze.

Kakashi and Guy along with a few ANBU were working as quickly as possible to eliminate all the Sound and Sand who still roamed the arena. If they could just get rid of all that were here, the could be more useful in the city or helping the Hokage but there seemed to be no end in site.

Kakashi took one more out, rushing over to the place he had instructed Sakura to stay when the invasion began. "Sakura! Undo the Genjutsu on Naruto and Shikamaru and wake them up!" When the invasion had first begun, both had been caught in the Genjutsu and had fallen asleep. "I've got another mission for you . . ."

"Wh-What kind of mission . . .?" She didn't seem to think this was the right time for a mission.

"One that will take your full focus . . .an A-Rank assignment . . ."

One more tried to attack but Kakashi was quicker, slitting the fools stomach as he flew by. "Sasuke is pursuing Gaara and the other Sand ninja. You undo the Genjutsu on Naruto and Shikamaru . . .and chase after Sasuke. Movement by more than a basic troop unit of four will destroy any advantage of swiftness and makes it harder to hide from the enemy . . .they taught that during the patrol drills at the academy, didn't they?!"

"Oh! Right!" She felt like an idiot. "But you just said four . . .who's the fourth . . .?!"

Kakashi quickly answered her question with a few quick hand signs. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu! Art of Summoning!!!" Under the smoke sat a very irritated looking pug with a Leaf Headband like a hat named Pakkun. Sakura wasn't sure but this was no time to argue with her master. She squeezed her way threw the sleeping people up to Naruto and Shikamaru.

With a simple Kai, Release, she woke Naruto. "Eh? What happened . . .? Sakura . . ."

"I'll tell you later!! Stay down!" She crawled over to Shikamaru but became gravely annoyed. "Shikamaru, you . . .from the gat-go . . .?!"

Pakkun decided that it would be interesting to see how Shikamaru's leg tasted. "YEOW!!"

"You knew how to reverse Genjutsu too! Why were you pretending to be asleep!!"

Shikamaru was able to pull Pakkun off of his leg and began pulling the pugs cheek. "HUMPH . . .I didn't want to get dragged into it! No thanks . . .I don't care about Sasuke . . ." Pakkun didn't approve of the treatment so once again, he chomped down on Shikamaru. "OWW!!!"

Lord Hokage stripped of the Kage robes to show that he wore a traditional Samurai ensemble underneath.

"Heh, heh, heh . . .how I've wished to fight you again . . ." Orochimaru did the same, showing off his usual attire, the black jump-suit with a white kimono-like dress slit on the sides with a black caller and a thick purple rope tied in a bow around his waist.

The four around the roof who held up the barrier of fire further increased its efficiency by creating a small extension around themselves, just in case.

"HUMPH . . .it doesn't look easy to escape from . . ." The Third only smiled.

"Of course not. Besides, you wouldn't want anyone to interfere and get in the way, would you?!"

Both stared at each other so intensely the veins in their foreheads were visible. Their chakra levels so high the ground at their feet began to crack. They started at a run for each other, and the battle was on.

"Raikou Kattaa! Lightning Cutter!" With a flash of lightning, Hyoue's attack shot out and took out several Sound Ninja, only to have them replaced with twice as many. "Damnit! There's no end to them!!!"

Hyosue shot down with attacks from the air, one his own Hibashira Nettaiteikiatsu, Blazing Cyclone on the dozens of Sound Shinobi under him, killing several but only finding more in the stead of the smoke. "How many did they bring?!"

"Stop complaining and just kill them!!! Katon: Ryuka no Jutsu!! Fire Style: Dragon Fire Technique!!" In mid jump, she released a long stream of fire, burning up a wide range on impact, blowing everything away in her path.

"Dang, she seems pissed! What's bugging her?" Hyoue seemed scarred.

"I'm not sure, I think this attack is annoying her." Hyosue still remained calm but shook a little, despite himself.

"Katon: Honoo Senpuu!! Fire Style: Blazing Whirlwind!! HAHAHA!! Take that you bastards!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!"

"No, just excited." Hyosue watched nonchalantly from the side.

"She's kinda scary!" Hyoue stood, quivering from the side behind his brother.

Fire jumped from her palms like bullets from a gun, taking down every enemy that came within feet of her, laughing manically and hysterically as she went. But she stopped, feeling something rough wrap around her leg. Kero turned to look but she was on the ground and being dragged before she could even scream. The monstrous three-headed snake had found interest in her, deciding then to take her out, its enormous tail, considerably smaller towards its end, constricted around her ankle and pulled. The rocky earth marred her smooth legs while the rough scales ripped into her ankle. Kero could smell the distinct stench of the rotting corpses it had ingested as she was dragged closer and closer.

Kero's display of hysterics soon caught the attention of the twins. They saw her now, being pulled up into the air for the monstrosity to partake in.

Hyoue was first to react, jumping toward his screaming leader. His glaive held at the ready, connecting to flesh, and ripping threw. Hyoue caught Kero in his arms as they came down, the severed end of the tail still wiggling around her injured ankle. "Are you all right, Kero?!" Hyosue rushed to her side, inspecting her ankle without waiting for an answer from Kero. "I'm fine, Hyosue, really. It's just a scratch."

Something sliver caught her eye, a stream of metallic with a hint of blue. Her eyes turned without permission to see what it was. From the far off distance, toward the forest, Shira was racing off at top speed with her long, lustrous, white malleable hair, flowing behind her in the wind.

"Hyoue, put me down." It was not a request, but a command.

"Uh, okay, Kero." He did as he was told, lowering her to the ground from his arm with the gentlest of motion. Her feet scarcely touched the ground and she was off.

Shira sped in the direction the four had gone, the blond boy, the pink-haired girl, the guy with spiky black hair, and the puppy, racing off into the forest, she guessed, after the Uchiha boy who was chasing after Gaara. It was easy to see, about nine others were chasing after as well, smelled like Oto ninja. Not to mention the obvious fake trail left by one who had separated from the group of four that the nine chasers had idiotically fallen for. From the size of the footprints, it seemed to be the guy with spiky black hair who had diverted the chasers. The scent of a large amount of blood filled the area toward the right, along with a new scent she didn't recognize. It seemed someone had come to help the boy with the nine Oto.

Even so, she was still far behind. She hadn't been able to follow them immediately with all the Oto in the stands still trying to kill her. All she could do was run faster and faster, in hopes of catching them before anything happened.

"Mocking the dead . . .nothing good ever comes from playing with time." The Third Hokage watched as his two friends, his mentors, his idols, rose from the grave as to fight him. Lord Shodai and Lord Nidaime had been resurrected by a forbidden jutsu used to revive the dead.

"Well then, shall we begin?" Orochimaru stepped back, holding a kunai in each hand, both with a tag tied at the end. With a slight shove, the kunai were forced inside the shells heads, the tags inscribed with kangi used to return all powers and abilities held in life back to the shells. When it was complete, they looked more alive than before, much more like their old selves.

"Please enjoy it!"

Lord Sandaime rushed toward them at top speed, finding enough resolve in himself to at least attack his old sensei. _**Fire Style: Karyuendan! Dragon's Flame!!**_ Threw his mouth burst forth a huge rupture of fire twice, almost three times the size of the Gokakyu.

_**Suiton: Suijinheki! Wall of Water!!**_ Lord Nidaime, a water user, summoned a tidal wave of water to dowse the Karyuendan with complete ease. To create such a large amount of water on dry land, such a tremendous feat. With completion, he summoned another of his trademark jutsu, Suiton: Suiryudan, Water Style: Water Dragon Attack, swirling torrents of water, spinning at an incredible speed that Lord Sandaime countered with a Doton: Doryuheki, Earth Style: Mud Wall, used to subdue the water.

_**Doton! Earth Style! Secret Jutsu . . . **_

_**This is Shodai's secret jutsu . . .not good!!**_ Tension coursed throughout Lord Sandaime's body with the site of the jutsu, biting down on his thumb to prepare.

_**Jukaikotan! Deep Forest Emergence! **_

Lord Sandaime took to the air as a small tremor tickled his feet. A tiny stem began to sprout up threw the root, leaves spreading at an incredible rate. Lord Sandaime finally reached the top of the earth wall he had made, feeling the whole area shake. The little stem shot in a blur, fully grown trunks intertwining in the wall, making somewhat of a forest inside. Lord Sandaime attempted to complete his jutsu but the branches found him, wrapping around him, pulling him to its tree. Lord Sandaime's quivering hand stretched with all its might to reach the closest branch. _**Ninja Art: Kuchiyose! Summoning!! I call thee!! Monkey King Enma!!**_

Lord Sandaime's summon, a great creature, looking something like a fat spider monkey but more like the size of a Silver-back, dressed in the garments of a shinobi, with a stripped tiger cape. "Orochimaru . . .So it has come to this, after all . . .!" He spoke in a tone of annoyance and uncaring.

"I'm getting to it right now . . ."

"Tsk! Too late!!"

"Enma!! Indestructible Nyoi Staff!!"

"All right . . .Transform!!" With a submissive tone, Enma began to spin, taking a new form, that of a thick, black bow staff with white tips at both ends. The staff needed no hands to guide it, even in this form, Enma was as lively as ever, swinging itself around and breaking the branches to release its captive partner.

_**Ho ho . . .it's finally getting interesting . . .**_ Orochimaru ranked his head back, eyes rolling toward the back of his head, mouth open wide. Something seemed to be pushing up his throat. First came it's head, then the rest of it, a snake of some kind, ranking back its head and eyes so something could emerge from its throat. A Jian style Chinese sword, the legendary Kusanagi no Tsurugi, forced itself out of the snakes throat to its master's hand.

Lord Sandaime knew of the pain the Kusanagi could inflict with only a touch and he prepared Enma for just that. He charged Orochimaru, easily bypassing Lord Shodai and Lord Nidaime with a quick extension of Enma. Orochimaru blocked with Kusanagi but from the staff came an extension in the shape of Enma's angry face, fangs sharp and ready. He tried to bite off Orochimaru's face, but the pain was too much to bear. Within the few seconds of pause, both Lord Shodai and Lord Nidaime kicked away their weakening apprentice. As he tried to regain himself, Lord Sandaime could feel the weight of his weapon becoming heavy in his hands.

The smell of smoke and gunpowder filled the air, followed by two a concentrated explosions. Lord Sandaime had left an Explosion Tag on both of the opposing lord's ankles, but it was futile. The explosions had removed one leg and arm on each, but in seconds they grew back as if nothing had happened.

Orochimaru snickered. "Your breath . . .is getting ragged." Lord Sandaime stared Orochimaru down with intimidating eyes, but with his heavy breathing and sweaty face, his gaze did little to his attacker. "Well, what are you going to do?"

"Enough with comparing jutsu!" Lord Sandaime struggled to his feet, truly feeling his own weight against him. "This moment marks the beginning of a repulsive blood-drenched battle . . .most appropriate for shinobi!"

He shifted into a stance, preparing for a jutsu. Orochimaru watched, almost disgusted. "My, my, how we've aged. Heh, heh, heh, heh . . ."

"What's . . .so funny . . .?"

"It's so pitiful . . .that even you, who has been hailed as a Shinobi God, are vulnerable to the passage of time . . ." Orochimaru cling to his own face, digging his nails into its side, pulling. With very little pull, he ripped his face off, revealing another underneath, a young girl's.

"Who in the world are you?!" Lord Sandaime had no recollection of this face but it was obviously not that of his old student's.

"It is still I, Orochimaru."

This was something Lord Sandaime could not believe, and yet it was more of something he'd expected.

Her features were slightly altered to Orochimaru's, his eyes, his mouth, but much of the old features were left. The face was that of an obvious beauty, still holding some natural elegance in the cheekbones with a subtle sparkle to the yellow snake eyes, but time had dulled the skin to a plain and boring ivy with thin, curled lips.

"Don't tell me you've perfected that forbidden jutsu . . ." His quivering voice betrayed himself.

"Heh, heh, heh . . .in the decade since I left the village, I've struggled . . ." The woman's lips pursed.

"You terrible, inhuman fellow . . .the main reason I could not select you as the Fourth Hokage . . .is your warped thinking . . ."

Her eyebrows narrowed in a toxic grin.

Sarutobi had had the chance once before to end his wretched student's life, but he hadn't had the heart to in the end. Orochimaru had been kidnapping people to perform experiments on for his own wellbeing. Bodies were tortured, cut up, ripped apart, and any form of gruesome act within the human disposition, all for the sake of perfecting an inhuman forbidden jutsu, the Furôfushi no Jutsu . . .The Art of Immortality. The technique is a Tensei Jutsu, a transference technique where a new body is obtained for the user to inhabit while inserting the users mind and soul into it to take over so that they may remain in the world forever.

"You will die here and I shall obtain a body that is even younger, stronger, and more beautiful than this one."

The words struck him, for even his voice had been altered to that of the young girl's, who had been the target of this monster, a once sweet voice, now full of poison. "You mean Uchiha Sasuke!"

"Yesss . . .that's right . . .dear little Sasuke . . ." Her tongue slithered out her words.

"That face . . .that body . . .how many others have there been?!" Sarutobi forced out as much anger has his weak throat could muster.

"This is only my second one, I think . . .But in order to have you die ruing your life and cursing your fate . . .I suppose this face is better after all." Just as quickly has she had shown her face, the poor girl was gone, back away to never be seen again, replaced with the snake once more.

The branches rustled and shifted at Lord Shodai's command, rushing to attack the old man. From the outside, the ANBU could see and feel the branches shake as they hurriedly did as their master bade them.

Enma had only just made it to save his partner, forming a cage of sorts to keep the branches at bay. Sarutobi knew what he must do. Once he had faced Orochimaru with the chance to end it all, but the resolve had not been with him. But know it had gone to far and the resolve seeped into his mind, finally willing to kill his once precious pupil. "Here I come!" _**Kagebushin no Jutsu! Art of the Shadow Doppelganger!**_

Orochimaru snickered and relaxed where he stood. "Heh . . .you really have lost your mind . . .to purposely shorten your life in your haste."

Enma floated beside his partner, observing his actions. Only two, Sarutobi had only summoned two Kagebushin. He should need more than that. But the answer quickly struck him, hard. "D-Don't tell me you're . . .?!"

Hebi, Serpent, Oo, Boar, Hitsuji, Ram, Usagi, Hare, Inu, Dog, Nezumi, Rat, Tori, Bird, Uma, Horse, and another Hebi. Perfect order, perfect flow, perfect fearlessness.

No hesitation.

Enma understood.

Something loose and transparent formed behind the three Sarutobi, not legs, wide hitoe, white, thick, spiky hair, bluish-grey skin, arms extended outward with a small dagger held by his sharp pointed teeth. A white essence poured off of the real Sarutobi that this large creature held at its center.

Orochimaru didn't recognize the jutsu, but he felt no fear. "No matter what you try, it's too late . . .I have won. Konoha will fall!"

Lord Shodai acted first, forming a Genjutsu. _**Kokuangyô no Jutsu! The Art of infinite Darkness!**_

A black essence enveloped the area, although it was really darkness, it was more like an absence of light, sound and sight. Lord Shodai or perhaps Lord Nidaime, Sarutobi couldn't tell, began to attack from all directions. The pain and the sticky liquid he registered as blood was the only way he could identify as an attack.

"I shall knock down and break you, their pillar . . .and destroy the house of Konoha."

Sarutobi stood despite the pain, with a cocky smirk. "HMPH! Even if you kill me, that pillar shall not break!!"

Silence.

"I AM THE THIRD HOKAGE!!!"

Silence.

"Orochimaru!! Let me reveal for you my trump jutsu, one even you don't know! Sealing Jutsu! Shikifûjin! Reaper Death Seal!!

Silence . . . "A jutsu I don't know . . .?

The transparent essence looked around annoyed, twitching with eagerness, preparing for its purpose.

"Then show me . . .this supposed jutsu!"

Through the years of battle, instincts without the senses had developed and even without sight and perfect hearing, he could protect himself to an extent but a few did make it through. The pain was hardly bearable, shooting throughout his whole body.

The creature held a necklace of beads in his hand that he wrapped around his hand while murmuring something incoherent. With this incantation, the hand the beads were wrapped around began to pulse with a black essence and a seal of some kind, similar to a curse seal enveloped the bluish hand. This cursed hand thrust itself into the white essence that hung before it which had taken the shape of a human body.

Sarutobi felt the pressure from the thrust. Blood trickled down his worn lips.

"What is the matter? Reeling from fatigue already?"

His breathing was heavy, but controlled. All that was left was to capture the attackers. The clones ran in opposite directions in the darkness. If they really knew where to find their targets or if they were just running around, hopping to run into something, it was unclear, for it didn't take log to find them.

_**Gotcha!!**_

They tried to free themselves, attaching multiple times, but the clones were now part of the jutsu Sarutobi had summoned, no attack would remove them now as it normally would. "I summon thee!"

The creature answered its summoner's call, transferring its hand threw the clones to latch onto the attackers.

The darkness began to fall and the light broke threw. The clones each held one of the two lords, each with a curse hand holding tight.

Orochimaru only watched, he really didn't know what to do. _**The darkness vanished. What is this jutsu?!**_

"So sorry . . . Sarutobi . . ." Lord Shodai's voice began to tremble, loosing pitch.

Lord Nidaime cracked an attempt to a smile. "Forgive us for troubling you . . ."

The cursed arm began to pull, holding another white essence each.

"Seal!!" The arm vanished with its catch inside the clone's chest, leaving a seal where it had emerged. The shells began to break apart into something thin, paper or perhaps wood shavings, but whatever it was made of, what was inside was unquestionable. Zaku and Kin, the two Sound Shinobi who hadn't died during the chunin exams, were lying in the rubble, rotting.

This was unforgivable. "Come! Enma!!" The staff did as he was told, thrusting itself into the had of his wielder.

They clashed, every move perfect, every move blocked. Finally, a slip up on Orochimaru's part left an opening for Sarutobi to knock Kusanagi out of his grasp. Enma's hand extended from the staff, claws extended.

"Sen'eijashu! Striking Snake Technique!!"

Five snakes emerged from under Orochimaru's sleeve, coiling around Enma, biting him.

Sarutobi came in from the side, a smooth movement to easily grab onto his prey.

"This is it, the end!!"

Orochimaru struggled to break free.

The creature thrust the cursed hand threw the essence once more into Sarutobi to take hold of Orochimaru. The feeling was strange, almost cold, he couldn't even move. With all the energy he could muster, he twitched his index and middle finger forward, bringing Kusanagi in striking range as it levitated upward.

Enma reached out to stop the blade despite the snakes.

Orochimaru chuckled, knowing to save his own life, Sarutobi would release him.

Sarutobi . . .didn't move.

Kusanagi was a Chinese blade and by their design, very thin, so when it pierced straight threw Sarutobi's heart, very little blood trickled down the blade.

Orochimaru felt what only could be described as extreme pain; so much so, he could feel a numbing feeling begin to creep up his fingers. "Why . . .didn't you evade . . .?!"

Enma's grasp on the blade grew tighter, pulling with all he had, but Kusanagi resisted. No . . .!!

"This jutsu, you see . . ."

Sarutobi tried to keep his breathing under control while the blood oozing from his mouth dripped off of his beard. He chuckled ever so slightly. "The caster must hand over their soul to the God of Death for the Jutsu to work . . .It's a sealing jutsu. It requires the complete sacrifice of one's life. That's why I didn't evade your blade . . .I'm going to die anyway!!"

Orochimaru groaned from the pain.

"I shall pull your soul out of your body . . .and bind it!"

_**I can't move . . .**_

"You will see soon enough . . .already half your soul has been pulled from you . . .those souls bound . . .jutsu will never rest in peace . . .but suffer eternity inside the belly of the God of Death. Both the caster and the sealed . . .their souls shall tangle and battle each other with deep hatred forever . . ."

That's . . .the God of Death . . .?!

The ghoul took the dagger it held in it sharp fangs, liking its lips with the new souls it had just captured. With the dagger in hand, he severed the new souls from where the seal had sent them, shoving them into its mouth, drooling over the fresh taste.

"No!! You do not get your way . . .Old Man!

Kusanagi pushed forward with the gesture of its master. "Now . . .Die . . ."


	16. Chapter 16

The monstrosity slithered and swarmed ferociously threw the streets of Konoha, destroying everything in its path. Ibiki growled to himself in frustration knowing full well that all his, and well as all the other shinobi who were assisting him, attempts were futile. While he and his group were trying another tactic to defeat the three-headed snake, a sharp cry of a jutsu was heard, the crash of something a few tons, and a high pitched death scream. Ibiki watching in amazement as a giant toad with two katana strapped to its back fell from the sky itself atop the beast, killing one of its heads instantly.

"You baby chicks!! Open wide those beady little eyes of yours and watch closely!!" Thank the heavens!! Here comes the unorthodox ninja sage Jiraiya! Here to run amok among all other-worldy creatures!!" Jiraiya stood atop Gamaken's head dancing while the two remaining heads quivered in fear from the site of Gamaken. Slowly, they made some distance but the snake, for fear of its life, stood perfectly still in the giant toad wake.

Ibiki jumped up to join Jiraiya atop the toads head. Jiraiya turned to him. "Where's the Third Lord?"

"The examination arena, Sir!"

"I see." Jiraiya became concerned for the life of his old master, knowing full well what he was doing in the arena. _**Don't you dare die . . .old man.**_

Temari and Kankuro hurried on with the quickest of speed, trying to make enough distance between themselves and the village to tend to Gaara. When they finally came to a point where they contemplated stopping, they were cut short. The boy clothed in black, Sasuke, came in between them. "You're not getting away!"

Kankuro stood, removing the bundle from his back that contained his deadly puppet Karasu. "Temari, take Gaara and go on ahead!"

She almost protested, but Temari knew this was necessary. Sasuke wanted Gaara, and he would continue to follow them to achieve her goal. If they were to succeed, Gaara was vital and he needed more time to recover. Slowing down and weakening this chaser was their only option, at the moment. "All right . . ."

Kankuro stood ready, as his sister left with a flash. "I suppose we have no choice . . .I'll take you on!"

"No! I will be your opponent . . .!" A voice with an intellectual persona rang out and startled Sasuke. Shino stood to the side with his usual cocky posture, hands in his jacket pockets and head cocked to the side. "Leave him to me. Go!"

Sasuke watched as a few beetles emerged from beneath Shino's jacket's neckline and crawled up and down the sides of his jaw. " . . .You sound pretty confident, but are you sure about this?"

"I don't need your concern . . .give me ten minutes and I'll come and help you."

Sasuke only smirked. "HUMPH, I'll be done by then too." And in a flash, he was gone.

In the midst of all the commotion and constant interference, Kero was finally able to make her way into the forest with others in hot pursuit. Her ankle throbbed with every bit of pressure she put on it, but she scarcely knew. Her concentration lay with the sound of footsteps she heard not fare behind and the radiation of bloodlust she felt. The Oto's constant persistence of being rid of her had become quite annoying. She had neither the time nor the patience to deal with them now when there were more pressing matters ahead. She was already terribly far behind and this would only slow her down more.

But they had begun to gain and it was best to deal with them now rather than later. With a quick slide of her foot, she thrust herself up into the leaves and waited. The Sound Ninja were indeed not far, she did not have to wait long for them to come in perfect striking distance, directly beneath her, inspecting where her footprints suddenly stopped.

They ruled out that she had jumped up. There was no sign of applied pressure to the last set of prints that would indicate she had actually jumped. But what had become of her, they were not sure.

Kero sat and waited for the perfect moment. Finally, they laid their guard down. Her smile became cynical and her hands balled to fists. Her hands took hold of a close branch. She held tight and swung, holding her feet together strong, kicking one in the head to the ground. They all looked now, none prepared. She quickly took to the two closest to her, punching one in the face that was to her front and kicking one in the stomach that stood to her back. The remaining watched but did not move. She stood where she had landed, swaying her hips to the side in a cocky manner.

"Get her!" He seemed to be the leader, tall and masculine. The two at his sides did as were told, the first to move. They closed in on her cautiously, trying to get to her without taking damage. One got bold and took the charge with an attempted punch but she easily blocked and knocked down with a round-house kick to the head, spinning around the kick another in the stomach. One snuck up from behind and took hold of her, but she loosened his grip with a quick back-kick in the balls, and a back-hand punch to the face.

"Get her! I said get her!!!"

Another stepped forward, throwing a barrage of punches, but she blocked them all, finally taking hold of both his arms and snap-kicking him away with an immediate back-hand punch to one who ran up from behind. Two jumped for her but she dodged both, grabbing them by their shirt colors and throwing them to the ground.

One pulled out a sword but with a snap-kick, it was broken, and with a second kick, so was his face. Another she threw having to quickly run away from one who began the throw kunai. She jumped from one tree to another, snatching one of the kunai in mid-flight and throwing it back into its owner's neck. She landed and doubled back with three graceful back-hand cartwheels, taking into a long-armed fighting stance, flexing her fingers several times in a taunting manner. One took it in offence and charged for her in the nearby tree. When he was close enough, she shot a powerful punch to his face and knocked him away.

Only two remained; the leader and one other. The other, pushed forward by the leader, jumped for her to the second tree. He tried to hit her several times but she easily dodged them all. With the quickest of speed, she shot ten punches to his face. He was dizzy, about to fall off but she steadied him with soft hands, lifting his head to be on level with hers. The leader snuck up from behind with a kunai, ready to slit her throat and be done with her.

Kero perked up the head of her current opponent, bringing a fist slowly back away from her to build up power. The leader held the kunai high, planning to use it as the punched his soldier away. Her fist was far from her and just when it looked that she would punch him, her fist pushed further back, into the face of the leader and then quickly to the one at her front. Both fell to the ground and hit together.

Kero brushed herself off admiring her work and smiled.

Temari rushed on but was slowed slightly by Gaara's extra weight over her shoulder. Suddenly, she noticed the load felt a bit lighter, as Gaara stirred into consciousness. " . . .Let me down, Temari . . ." His voice was quiet and horse, words barely slipping past his weak, scratchy throat.

"You've come to, Gaara?!" She took to the nearest tree branch and lightly set him down. The strained in pain once more as his mind attacked once more. Temari had become frightened. The think inside Gaara was awake and doing all it could to break free and take control, but she couldn't handle it on her own, she wasn't strong enough, wasn't brave enough.

Gaara suddenly strained forward in agitated. The turned to his obviously frightened sister who sat deep in thought. "Temari . . .get away from here . . ."

She didn't understand.

Gaara rose to his feet. "Just hurry up and get out of here! You're in the way!" He thrust his backhand toward her face and forced her away, she slamming against a tree.

Gaara turned toward the way he had come, panting heavily, sweating, and struggling to stand.

Temari was barely hanging on to consciousness at this point, her eyes and body heavy with blood trickling from her lips. _**What's going on? Where's Kankuro?**_

Sasuke stood a good ten feet away, panting slightly, starring Gaara down. Gaara's face slowly began to crack beneath his right eye. Sasuke watched as Gaara's skin cracked and crumbled where he stood, spreading from his face to the tips of his fingers.

"You who . . .are strong . . .who are called Uchiha . . .who have friends . . .and have a purpose . . .just like me . . .By killing you . . .I'll erase all of that and then I will truly exist. And I can feel alive!!!" He fell to his knees with a crash, groaning in tearing pain. The cracks on his right side were deeper than the rest and began to crumble away as the shadows hid the action. Gaara rose and moved out of the dark, bent over like a hunchback, with his right arm and the right side of his face overtaken by a golden yellow casing, showing the likeness of an animal.

Shira watched from the safe distance of a tree the transformation. He looked as he had in the cave, the sand piling atop his skin with rough scale-like fur. The sand that grouped on his arm took the form of another arm, bulky and large, with a clawed hand. On his face, the clumps formed half of the face from before, something like a dog, with a short pointed ear and enlarged canine fangs.

Sasuke quivered where he stood, remembering the golden eyes he saw inside the sand dome, the sharp, deadly eyes that made him shake and sweat in cold fear.

His thoughts distracted him from what lay before him and it wasn't until Gaara was directly in from of Sasuke did he react to dodge. The simple attack caused horrendous destruction. Trees fell, bark danced in the wind, and dust clung to the air. Sasuke was barely able to get away. He hid behind an untouched tree a great distance from Gaara, cradling his damaged shoulder.

Gaara screamed to the abyss, his voice demonic and full of bloodlust. "Do you fear me? Uchiha Sasuke!"

Sasuke sat alone in his quiet, contemplating what to do

"What's wrong?! You're not afraid of me, are you?!" His tone became insulting and taunting. "Have both your hatred and you intent to kill wavered . . .because of your fear?"

Sasuke slowly took to his feet.

"Come on!!"

His hands silently moved to form the seals, feeling the chakra flow to his palm. He could not die, he would not die. He would fight to survive and to end the life of the brother who wronged him. He must kill this creature in any way possible in order to fulfill this purpose. He appeared from his hiding place and leapt for Gaara who had already jumped for him.

They met . . .they clashed . . .they separated.

Sasuke had released his Chidori and had taken to Gaara's mutated arm, cutting in and ripping threw it. Gaara screamed in agony as he fell to a large branch.

Sasuke landed gracefully on his feet, feeling victorious.

Gaara began to rise, Sasuke believed, to except defeat and beg for mercy . . .but he didn't.

He laughed.

It wasn't the kind of laugh you utter when you feel afraid, but one of pure hysterics. "A-HA HA HA . . .I see! So that's what that was! . . .I just realized . . .why . . .I'm enjoying myself so!" Gaara held tight to the wounded mutation, trying to ride out the pain as best he could, with his little tolerance for pain. The arm at the seared points spilled back to sand and reconnected, forming the creatures arm as it had been once more. "HA HA HA! More, I want more!" The sand spilled out from the small of his back, forming what looked like a tail with a similar make-up and texture of the clawed arm.

Gaara pulled back, holding tight to the front of the branch he stood on and backed up. "Ready for me?!!" He backed as far as his mutated arm could reach and let go. The branch pull-vaulted slightly, catapulting him forward, he, moving faster than before.

Sasuke dodged but not without his arms being deeply gashed. Gaara's arm expanded wide to grab a few branches and pull-vaulted him again toward Sasuke.

Sasuke's limit was only two Chidori summons and he had already used both. He could no longer use it for a great period of time, much too long for the here and now. His signature fire jutsu was taken to use, try as he might, nothing else could come to mind. "Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu! Fire Style: Fireball Technique!!"

Gaara's arm expanded around him, protecting him from the flames. He emerged without so much as a scratch. "Die!" Sasuke curled up, bracing himself for Gaara's assault.

The tree that finally stopped Sasuke was his resting place for quite some time. His whole body ached from the brutal trip through all the trees his body had broken threw. The huge dent in this tree had serried the most, the sting was almost numb from the sick pain and he was sure the slick, sticky feeling on his back wasn't sweat. What was left but to sit there and perish? His body was weak, his jutsu weren't strong enough, and all the chances to use the Chidori were taken. What was left? He thought he heard a voice, Gaara's perhaps, but the words didn't reach his subconscious. For only one moment, the thought of giving up and letting himself die was a possibility. But with a quick recall of his brother, the thought was banished.

He rose to stand, to fight once more. He jumped again, facing Gaara head on. To anyone who watched it seemed as only a blur. All that was distinct was Gaara's malicious war cry, and the faint sound of a screeching chirp. Both landed with pristine, seemingly untouched, but the sand around Gaara's shoulder began to soften and crumble. The mutation slipped off and returned to the sand it once was.

Chidori had worked. The electric blue color of the lightning chakra dancing on his hand illuminated the forest and the screeching sound of birds filled it. The chakra skipped up and down his arm, defining the black crests that began to spread to his face, the black crests of the curse mark.

Gaara's pain was rigid, but he fought back, concentrating on the soothing feel of the left arm, a perfect replica to the lost right, taking over and forming.

Sasuke fell to his knees with the loss of all strength. The curse mark pulsed with intensity, beating the body of its container with much ferocity. Sasuke struggled as he heard Gaara rebound and recover with much quickness and leapt for Sasuke. He couldn't move even a finger.

Gaara could almost taste the rich iron of his prey's blood spilling over his lips and down his throat. The taste, the feel, was overwhelming, but all he tasted, all he felt, was the sole of a foot and the feel of a hard kick to his jaw.

Naruto's sole was worn and old, tasting of mud and bark, but these sensations were only comprehended after the pain from Naruto's kick passed.

"Sasuke!" Sakura leapt down to Sasuke's side, merely looking over him too afraid to touch.

Sasuke struggled to suppress the mark as he had been able to do once before, but it was pushing back to keep its hold. Sasuke began to hack up blood in response.

"Sasuke!!" Sakura screamed once more, but again did nothing. "Naruto! We have to get Sasuke out of here, now!!"

"I know, Sakura." Naruto kept his gaze with Gaara who only growled in response.

"But, Naruto, that thing . . .that thing is that Gaara guy!"

"I know, Sakura." He still held his serious calm, but there was a little edge to it.

"But look at him, Naruto!" He's a monster! We can't take him on!!"

"I know, Sakura." Still, a slight more edge.

"But, Naruto-!"

Naruto turned to her, obviously fed up. "I know, Sakura!!!"

Sakura froze from the action, but when her eyes widened and she began to shake, Naruto knew this reaction was not for him. A gust came past Naruto's side with a quick golden brown blue.

"SHUT UP!!!" Gaara extended his mutated arm as the landed over the weakened Sasuke, catching the annoying girl in its grasp, digging the sharp clawed ends into her torso, thrusting here toward a tree and held here there.

"Sakura!"

She fainted, blood dripping from her mouth wile the rest bled over her clothes and along the arm. Naruto rushed to where Gaara stood, quickly retrieving Sasuke from beneath Gaara. Naruto quivered in his wake. _**What am I gonna do?!**_

Lord Hiashi stood in an open clearing, eyes calmly closed. Several figures crept from all directions toward him with the lightest steps. When one was in perfect range, he leapt forward with a kunai at the ready. Hiashi waited patiently for the right moment, and with a backhand, slapped him away. The others reacted to the offense as permission to attack. They all rushed him from all angles in hopes of finding an opening, but it was all for not. With a quick twist of the foot, all were sent aback, deflected away by the Rotation. "Hyuga is the most powerful clan in Konoha . . .remember it well!"

Three rose from the Byakugan's blind spot, at the back of the neck above the first thoracic vertebra, once again rushing the Hyuga. He turned, knowing he couldn't avoid their strikes without taking some damage, the extent of this damage he couldn't quite tell. He prepared to move, perhaps to block, but what he wasn't prepared for was a black, thin veil cloaking the three.

Thin, black strings connected these veils to far off hands, hands of pail ivory white that held these black threads like puppet strings. When satisfaction of her astonished audience fixing his gaze on her entered her eyes, she flexed her fingers and twisted her hands in one sharp movement, pulling the strings. The strings held tight to the veils, the veils held tight to the skin, and when she pulled, the veils broke apart, ripping the three ninja to shreds.

Despite all the blood that fell, Hiashi could still clearly see Mayuri's happy, sweet smile.

The Sound and Sand had begun to concentrate toward the North where the main forces had retreated and the civilians had been occupied. Screams were echoing through the alleyways of the fallen.

A group of shopkeepers, two men and three women, had banded together and were hiding in a small storage house accessible only from a lone door from an alleyway. They sat quietly, praying to any god that could hear them that they wouldn't be killed. They began to feel confident in their hiding place after about two hours when something began to beat against the lone door. Something moved, tall and toned, in front of the door, casting shadows into the already dark room whose only light came from the small crack between the wall and door. Again the beating came again. The women held tight to each other, holding in the urge to gasp. The men held tight to the women to keep them from making noise, distracting themselves from making any noise as well. When the intruders broke the door down, the two youngest women, twin sisters, screamed with all their lungs.

"Kamisori Kugi no Jutsu! Razor Nail Technique!"

The boy of twelve with well-groomed brown hair was the only one who wasn't cowering in a ball with the others in a corner. He watched a young girl, taller than him but his age, coming down from the roof perhaps atop this man with long razor nails, cutting this man in half, split right down the middle. The blood leaked out from the split in little streams. The boy could see now that there was more than one. Including the dead one, there were eight.

"How dare you, you sick bitch!!"

"You bastards!!!"

Her war cry was feminine, yet strong. Her nails took to the one closest to where she stood, ripping threw his torso. A second, slicing threw his head like butter. And for a third, decapitating him. The remaining four removed kunai or prepared seals but she moved faster. He saw her hands fly to form seals that he could barely recognize. He thought he saw Tora, Tiger, Uma, Horse, and Ryu, Dragon but he could've and believed he was most likely mistaken. "Kibashiri no Jutsu! Running Fang Technique!" Her hands glowed with a white sharp light that, when she thrust it forward toward the four, enveloped them for a short time, but when it vanished, chunks were falling off, limbs were missing, and long gashes covered the body of the four. They fell to the floor, dead.

The boy watched her walk over to them, speaking mostly to him since his eyes never left her face. "Are you all alright?"

The group only nodded in response if they give one at all. Most were still quivering in fear or crying in hysterics. Only the boy gave a straight answer. "We're all fine."

"Good!" Her voice shot high, with a little girly head cock to the side. She rose to her feet in a quick motion with a dramatic hair flip. The boy was mesmerized by her movements. "Keep safe!" He watched her till he couldn't watch anymore.

Toward the arena was the order they have been given by their superiors for there was where the action was. Many had gone there but none had come out. Rumors of several jonin occupying it were going around and the higher ups ordered most of their remaining forces there.

Kakashi along with Gai eliminated every ninja that entered the arena were several other civilians had come to take refuge. They had even begun to make a competition of it, working to see how could kill more than the other. Kakashi: Gai, 162:161, as it always seemed to be.

"How many more of them are there?!"

"To think there are so many Sand along with the Sound, eh, Kakashi?" Both strung two more ninja away and back.

What they couldn't see was the large group of Oto Nin with only just a wall separating them. When the group felt confident in their numbers they showed themselves and struck.

The two jonin were astounded that such a group still remained, both getting tired and slow.

"Kakashi, if we get through this, I'll buy you that dinner I promised you the last time you won but never paid."

"Yeah."

Sharingan open Kakashi felt just enough chakra left for a final Chidori that might at least cut the numbers in half. As the electric chakra began to spark, something came up from over the top of the arena, a black speck on the sun. Isumekey felt with much grace into the very heart of the crowd, a kunai held tight.

"Isumekey!" All she had on her was a lone kunai. She couldn't possible think it was all she needed? He contemplated going to her, but Gai held him back.

The crowd took much time registering to themselves of her presence, finally charging her after a moment or two of starring. With this time, she wove the quickest of signs, Inu, Dog, Saru, Monkey, and one with hands pointed up flat with pointer and middle fingertips touching. She then drew up her kunai, dug it into her upper arm and ripping it to the base of her wrist. "Raiton: Chimamire Denkou! Lightning Style: Blood-Stained Lightning!!" The blood produced from the cut took a sharp form, jagged and pointed with the occasional spark. It spread like wildfire and broke off in several pieces, making contact with every one of the surrounding ninja. With a snap from her chakra, the jagged red lightning overtook all it touched with the strongest of lightning and the heat of the sun. Their bodies had all turned to ash before any could scream.

Kakashi stood wide-eyed, his pupils dilated and whitening. He had no words, no real ones, all he could say was, "Wow."

The lady in spikes jumped up to her beloved with the widest of smiles. "Well, Kakashi darling, how was that?"

He quickly regained himself. "Are you insane? You could've been killed!" He gripped her shoulder blades tight.

Her face showed a bit of fear, but it vanished in mere moments. "You were worried about me?!"

He caught his words to see how they could mean to her. "Well . . .I . . ."

"You were worried about me!!!" She jumped, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, bringing him down a few feet, squealing as she went. He regretted having said anything.

Gai stood away from the spectacle, feeling his jealousy for his rival return, envious for the display of affection.

"Taju Kagebushin no Jutsu! Art of the Multiple Shadow Doppelgangers!!!" When the dust cleared they were everywhere. Standing on the trees, on the ground, upside down, sideways, and all around. Thousands of clones of Naruto. He had pulled up a torrent of chakra no one thought he had, especially at this point. "All right, Y'all!! Time to move!!" All the clones perked up from the slouched poses. "Go!!"

They jumped down to Gaara, who had been completely taken over by the golden yellow doglike transformation. Naruto had just completed a successful attack and Gaara hadn't fully recovered yet. He could barely block now.

"Naruto's 2000 Blows . . ." All of the clones came down; each throwing lethal punches to every side. The real Naruto and one other clone pushed forward past the rest, both landing a grueling punch to the creature's face. "Barrage!!!"

The creature fell away, beaten and sore; the sand was slipping off as if it was poured off. He laid on the ground stunned, head spinning with confusion, and what he believed was pain shot through him. _**There's no way . . .I . . I can't . . .**_

The clones rushed the creature once more. The anger of defeat brewed in him, the thought of a loss driving him mad and stirring his powers. "I will not lose to someone like you!" He roared as follows, the sound ear-piercing and heart-wrenching. The creature's skin began to expand, killing the clones with his sharp scale-like fur, breaking trees as he grew.

When the sun broke threw the soil and sight was given back to the onlookers, something massive stood before them all. Tall, golden brown, and considerably round in the middle, a large, thirty-foot Tanuki with fur in the shape of scales with intricate black swirl designs atop the golden skin.

Temari hadn't moved from the spot she had been thrown, now taking the initiative to get up and run away from the battle. _**It . . .It's finally emerged! Perfect possession!!**_

Naruto froze where he stood. _**He's huge!**_

The Tanuki raised his clawed paw to gather the sand to his command as Gaara once had. It did as was told, moving to where Naruto stood, gathering around his person. Naruto gasped and shuffled but his body was weak from the immense release of chakra to bring about all the clones. The thought he heard Sasuke scream his name but the movement of the sand sounded like sirens over his ears and he could not hear much else.

But he could still see, and where Sakura had been pinned to a tree by Gaara's sand, her blood still pouring out, was directly in his sight range. He would not let her die! He took a little blood from the side of his mouth and prepared a jutsu. Uo, Boar, Inu, Dog, Tori, Bird, Saru, Monkey, and Hitsuji, Ram.

The Tanuki was furious for having to appear, but he did not show it. He pushed the sand tighter but slowly, so that Naruto may suffer. _**Sabaku Soso! Imploding Sand Funeral!**_

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu! The Art of Summoning!!" Before the sand took to the kill, a surge of chakra pushed it away. Naruto rose up with white clouds that appeared with the Chief Toad, Gamabunta. He stood at the same height as the Tanuki, powerful and mighty, stance and appearance like a Yakuza, with a navy blue Hitoe and a well kept Kodachi at his right side. "What the-? You again? What now?!" Naruto did not answer but even if he had, he probably wouldn't have noticed. His mind was fixed on the creature that stood before him, one he was sure was the sand demon, Shukaku.

"Chief Toad, Sir! Come fight together with me! I'm counting on ya, Chief!!"

" . . .No!!"

Naruto was stunned. "What do you mean, no!! I thought you said you were gonna make me your henchman!! And a boss helps his henchman when they're in trouble! That's called Honor-bound Duty!!"

"I did say I would make you my henchman . . .but I haven't even exchanged Saké cups with you yet. And why should I go out of my way to fight that creature? How idiotic." His speech was slandered, the way a gangster would converse.

"You got to be kidding! I'm still a kid! I can't drink!!"

"Are you afraid, Toad?" The voice was soft but rigged.

"What?!" Gamabunta glared out toward the Tanuki who had called out. The voice wasn't Gaara's anymore but it had a similar husky sound to it.

"Do you fear me, coward?"

The Tanuki had found a weakness of Gamabunta's, his pride. "You . . .!! Kid . . .I'll acknowledge you as my henchman! And I'll show you plenty of Honor-bound Duty!!" He puffed his pipe while drawing out his Kodachi. "Damn thug, I'm going to settle this score!"

Gamabunta's movements were large and wild, Naruto barely held to his head without falling. "Hold on tight!" Shukaku couldn't keep up, and Gamabunta's blade was in his face to quickly for him to react. "Gama Dosuzan! Toad Sword Beheading!!" He drove the blade deep into the right shoulder and pulled. The arm ripped of its hinges but not with out Gamabunta loosing his blade in the process. His hands shook and burned from the strain. _**What a tough fellow . . .He's so solid I barely managed to pull out the slash . . .!**_ The arm fell away from them, tumbling over the forest for a few rolls while Gamabunta landed a good eighty feet from the one armed Tanuki. Gamabunta observed what his and the Tanuki's actions had done to the forest. _**If this doesn't end soon, the whole landscape will be changed . . .**_

"Chief! Sasuke and Sakura are in that direction, we can't go that way!! Lure him over here!!"

"Sasuke and Sakura, huh?" The giant toad chuckled.

"Fascinating! This is getting fun! Uzumaki Naruto!!" Again the voice called out from the Tanuki as something began to bulge out of his forehead. Gaara's upper hung loose over the beasts eyes, seeming to be in a trance.

Gamabunta overlooked Gaara well. " . . .so that's the host, huh . . ."

Gaara raised his hands in the Hitsuji, Ram sign. "Thank you for letting me fully experience this happiness, allow me to show you the real power of this sand demon."

As Gamabunta continued to look Gaara over, he began to feel a bit sympathetic toward him. "That poor host, he's got chronic insomnia from being possessed by Shukaku! Look at those rings around his eyes!"

Naruto didn't understand. "Insomnia?!"

"Those who become possessed by the demon Shukaku will not be able to have even one decent night's sleep . . .out of fear! Normally while the host is awake . . .Shukaku's true strength is suppressed . . .but if the host falls asleep . . ."

"Tanuki Neiri no Jutsu! The Art of Playing Possum!!" Gaara's head bobbed at bit, then hung low with the rest of him as he fell into sleep.

It was quiet for all but a moment as a small laugh began and built louder. **"WHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!! YEAH BABY!!!"** He sounded as though he were drunk, a hard, seemingly insane voice came from him, nothing like Gaara's and his eyes left the bluish-green color to a deep blood red. **"FREE! I'M FINALLY FREE!!!"** He finally noticed the ones in front of him. **"OOOOO! HELL YEAH! STRAIGHT OUT THE GATE I SEE SOMEBODY I WANNA SLAUGHTER!!"** He raised his only remaining paw, the left. **"Futon! Wind Style . . .!"**

Gamabunta readied himself. "I'm gonna leap!!"

Shukaku brought down his elevated paw hard against his large stomach, forcing something up toward his throat. **"Renkûdan! Drilling Air Bullets!!"** He choked out a blast of air moving at sonic speeds leaving a crater where Gamabunta had stood. He jumped up overhead, bringing something to his mouth as well. _**Suiton: Teppodama! Water Style: Liquid Bullets!!**_ Gamabunta coughed up a similar attack to Shukaku's, but made of water instead. He shot out two. In response, Shukaku spit out five of his own. _**Renkûdan!!**_ The Teppodama were much more powerful, each one destroying two Renkûdan, but one still remained.

"Watch out, Chief!! There's still one left!"

Naruto's outburst startled the toad to look down. The bullet hit, driving Gamabunta to the ground with a loud crash.

"**YEAH! ALRIGHT! I KILLED 'EM! I KILLED 'EM!!!"**

Gamabunta rose up from the wreckage and leapt out toward Shukaku. "That hurt! You dare hit me with such an attack!! Even I can't take many more hits from that attack!" His face had taken the most damage and his arms that he had used to block his face. They were bloody and scarred.

Naruto hadn't been damaged. "What do we do?!!"

"There is a way! Try and wake the host! Then the jutsu will come undone!" Gamabunta landed and slid, rushing Shukaku.

"How?!"

"I'll try to get close to that stupid raccoon and stop him from moving! That's when you wake him!!"

"Again, how?!"

"I'm a toad, I don't have fangs or claws to hold him!! I'll use Henge no Jutsu to transform into something predatory!!"

Gamabunta began to close the gap between himself and Shukaku. The Tanuki growled at the site and readied himself.

"Transformation isn't my strong suit! I need you to weave the signs for me . . .and I'll lend you my chakra!! It'll be a Henge combo!!"

Naruto felt the pressure of the moment. "Something with fangs and claws . . .Uhh! UHH!"

"Here we go!!"

"Wait! No!"

Gamabunta forced his chakra into Naruto's being, giving power to the signs he wove. Naruto didn't really think about it, the thing they became was mostly out of instinct, but when the smoke cleared, a bright red fox was in the place of the toad.

The fox maneuvered in a quick, lightning fast motion digging its fangs into the scruff of Shukaku's neck and claws into his shoulder blades. If Shukaku had blood, he would've been dead from loss of it. "Damn you!!"

Gaara swayed as Shukaku was maimed. His motion caught the fox's eye. "Okay! Now!!" The voice was Gamabunta's.

Naruto detached himself from the Henge, turning Gamabunta back into himself, desperately trying to still cling to Shukaku with his slick fingers. "Wake up . . ." Naruto leapt from Gamabunta's forehead with a balled fist, aimed for Gaara's face. "You Bastard!!"

Gaara moved with the blow, thrust toward the direction it fell on.

Gamabunta held tight to Shukaku. _**Good, Naruto! The host hasn't been asleep for two long; one blow should wake him . . .**_

Shukaku felt himself being thrust back into the dark. _**The jutsu is . . .being broken!!?**_ **"NO! DAMNIT! I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK! DAMNIT!!!"** The dark blood red eyes lifted to a semi-blue, and Shukaku was gone.

Gaara woke as Naruto fell to catch his footing on the Tanuki's nose. He watched as the blonde returned to a run and started his way back up the raccoon's face.

Gaara had never wanted to kill someone so much.

Naruto's foot sank into the upper section of the nose while sand came off the Tanuki toward Naruto. Gamabunta reacted, wrapping his pierced tongue around Naruto.

Gaara wasn't defeated. "Don't you mock me . . .!" He took to the sand that surrounded Naruto's feet and raised it where he stood. Gamabunta removed his tongue, knowing it wasn't helping anyone. _**Just how much strength does this one have . . .?! Both Naruto and I have already used up most of our chakra!!**_ What could he do now? He had one idea, but he knew it could only do so much. He thrust his tongue into the sand around Naruto's feet, digging it away.

Gaara became more violent. "Why you!" The sand struggled to get hold of Naruto but the pierced tongue kept getting in the way. They fought for dominance over Naruto's fate, Gaara tossing around his sand and Gamabunta his tongue. Finally, his slipped up, letting some sand slither past. "Die!" It clung to Naruto and squeezed. "Sabaku Soso!" Gamabunta launched his tongue forward to strike at Gaara. He knocked away Gaara's arm where it held, but Naruto's scream of pain rang in his ears none the less.

Gamabunta felt weak, he had nothing left, no strength, no chakra, he was using all his had to stay in this world, causing him much pain. He silently apologized to Naruto begging for forgiveness and that, if death was Naruto's fate, he would go out quick painless before he vanished in a gust of white cloud.

The Tanuki rolled his head to the side, letting Naruto fall to die in the trees, while Gaara slipped back inside the Tanuki. "So much trouble . . .from one person . . ."

Something from his right side rose, something sun-catching and quick. The Tanuki turned but whatever it was, it was gone. Again he caught it from his periph but when he looked again it was gone. He heard a battle cry, sharp and strong but high, from a woman, and with it something hard and blunt kicked at his head. The Tanuki stumbled forward and fell to the ground, head throbbing. "What the--!" The Tanuki turned to see a mass of water pouring up from the ground and someone standing atop a tree. "You!!"

Shira said nothing, only glared the Tanuki down. Instead of words, she again thrust the water at him, beating at his stomach. The raccoon heaved from the pressure and loss of air, again falling to the ground. "How dare you!!!" He rose again to defy her but again she beat him down. Twice more he stood but both times he was driven down. At last he stayed where he lay, attempting no more.

Shira held her place, keeping the wave suspended. A shatter came up, the sound of the rasp husky voice of the Tanuki's laughter. "HA HA HA HA!!! You stupid girl! Do you seriously believe that little bit of water is going to beat me?! Do you?!! It doesn't even hurt!"

His outburst didn't flush her in the least. "On the contrary. I can kill you with this bit of water. Shall I demonstrate?" She separated a stream of water from the main source, dancing it around overhead, guiding it with her pointer finger. With a graceful flick of the wrist forward, the stream shot forward, passing straight threw the right shoulder, severing the arm that it held.

The Tanuki felt no pain, this body had no nerves, no feeling, but the fact it was gone was infuriating enough. He screamed in anger as it fell. "As you can see I can make the water as sharp or as blunt as I wish. It all depends on how much chakra I put in it."

In blinding rage, the Tanuki charged forward. Shira remained calm, forming the Nezumi, Rat sign. She rose her right hand, filling her water with chakra and the power from the seal. The water reacted, taking a shape behind her, long face, sharp eyes, reptilian long neck, and fangs.

The Tanuki, Gaara, did not recognize this. She could manipulate water as she saw fit, but this time she had woven one sign, forcing her water into the form of a dragon, a western dragon, immense and full of chakra. It looked much like a well known water jutsu, Suiryudan no Jutsu, but it looked sharper, stronger, something to truly fear. "Kouryou no Mizu! Heavenly Water Dragon!!" The dragon crashed down into the earth, roaring out an ear piercing, bellowing cry of a beast in a slithering run toward the Tanuki. The dragon opened its massive jaw over the Tanuki and crashed down atop it.

The sand didn't work well with the water as it should've. A raw material, loose and absorbent, the sand became loose and slightly distorted but wasn't destroyed. The sand took in the water, becoming heavy and weighted down. But Gaara still kept his control over his demon side, using a great amount of chakra to strengthen the body and prevent any damage. He was unharmed but at a great loss of chakra.

_**Damnit!**_ She had pushed so much chakra into the attack think it may have been too much. But it had been all a waist. He looked as though only a large bucket of water had been dumped on him, not a high powered jutsu. She had others she could try but her chakra count was too little. Her thoughts abandoned her when a crack from overhead reached her ears. A storm had begun from nothing, wild and angry, the smell of ozone kicking in.

"Rakurai Bishitto! Lightning Break!!"

The lightning rose and contorted around the raccoon dog and struck. The water still clinging to the very core of the sand guided the electricity to the center.

The Tanuki could feel a tremor spread. It started out small and weak, a tickle in the crevasses of his skin, a pinch perhaps. He felt it rebound to the original source, felt it touch, felt it react. The shock was too much to put into words, the agony of the dancing lightning skipping over his skin. His skin grew to a boil, his blood ran cold. His scream could break your heart.

But the true agony in fact was not the pain, not the heat, but the waiting, the dreaded waiting for the torture to end.

It took Gaara a while to realize he was falling. The sand was gone, the Tanuki body ripped from his limbs, returned to the sand it once was. In the midst of the falling sand, Gaara vanished.

Chipper and spry, Kero left to where Shira stood with a exulted grin.

Shira saw this and drew dry. _**Show off!**_

"How was that?"

The smile drove ice into Shira's eyes. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, enough with all that bragging, damnit!"

"You're just bitter that I beat him and you didn't."

"Please! You wouldn't have been able to beat him if I hadn't attacked first!"

Both glared, another argument and or blood stained fight behind their eyes . . .but neither succumbed to their intents.

"What are you gonna do now?" Kero's voice had a little malice to it that dwindled slightly as she spoke.

Shira's eyes followed the example as her eyes began to melt. "I'm going to finish that Sand rat off. But that pink-haired girl and the Uchiha guy are wounded back there." She pointed toward the direction the fight had begun. "Didn't you see them on the way here?"

Kero shrugged. "I got sidetracked and came from another way. They're hurt, huh? I guess I'll take care of them, but you're wasting your time! My attack surely killed him!" Quite confident in the ability of the lightning jutsu Hyoue had taught her, Kero believed Shira had no point in looking for a dead man, in fact, she was almost insulted.

"Be that as it may, I still want to look."

With another shrug, Kero was gone.

Shira stood, feeling victorious in her stead, trying to find where Gaara had fallen. She couldn't find him, couldn't smell him, couldn't hear any movement from the forest. She let her guard down, for only a moment, to readjust herself on the treetop.

The sand took it as an opening.

It came up from behind her. She caught it at the last moment in her periph. The sand struck her, throwing her from the tops to the ground with a hard thump. She struggled to return to her feet, her stomach pulsing from the strike, knocking all the wind out of her lungs. She searched around for the next attack, telling herself over and over to catch her breath and level her breathing, to calm down. When she finally stood, she looked down for a moment as her feet took root, giving the sand another opening. This time, it came from the side where she could see it much better. She faced it head on, slipping into her stance, but her movements were sloppy, not having fully caught her breath. The sand moved upward, perhaps aiming for her head, but her movement was enough to lessen the damage. The sand cut into her lower neck and shoulder, leaving a fissure where it cut in. She screamed from the pain, not able to grab onto the wound and hold it because it was too big to hold. In her pain, the sand wound around the tree she knelt against, ripping into her hip. She screamed again even louder this time, biting her lip to a bloody mess in an attempt to hold her composure while falling to her knees. Her blood stained to forest floor as she no longer attempted to get up.

Gaara sat atop a tree, watching his prey die in the grass. It was the last of his chakra and he was glad he had been able to bring her down so quickly. She wasn't dead, she was dying. This way, she would slowly suffer and bleed to death, much more satisfying to him. Perhaps he would stay and watch to rest. Maybe she would start to cry and scream to the forest for help. How enjoyable that would be.

A rock flew past him, not meant to hit, but to grab attention. Gaara looked to see Naruto clinging to the tree in front of him. "I thought I killed you."

Naruto chuckled weakly. "Sorry to disappoint you, but all you got was my leg." Naruto had removed his jacket, wrapping it around his injured leg. The Tibia and Fibula weren't shattered, just broken. He had splinted the leg with a branch, it was a little uncomfortable, but it would have to do. " . . .I'm kinda . . .at my limit . . .it must be the same for you . . .! One more punch is all I have left . . .We are very alike . . .Ley's end this now!!"

Gaara sat quiet and said nothing, but his silence was answer enough.

The Reaper moved in closer, dying for his anticipated meal. He crept closer to Sarutobi's back, licking his lips in anticipation. "I shall take all your jutsu with me!!"

Orochimaru quivered at the site of the Reaper drawing closer to him along with the feel of his soul being pulled. The Reaper lifted his knife over the exposed soul. Orochimaru saw and knew what was to happen. "NO!!!"

"Seal!!" The Reaper took to the exposed soul with his little knife and ripped threw, the cut piece entering into Sarutobi's body.

Orochimaru watched as his arms were overtaken by a burnt reddish color, becoming heavy and unable to be held up.

"You can no longer weave signs . . .you have no Ninjutsu left to use."

"YOU USELESS OLD MAN!!! GIVE ME BACK MY ARMS!!!"

Sarutobi felt his body become heavy under him with the feel of death taking over, but he just smiled. "Now who is the fool, Orochimaru? It's a shame I can't take you with me, but . . .my dear disciple, let us meet again one day in the afterlife."

"HOW DARE YOU!!! HOW DARE YOU TAKE MY JUTSU!!!" Sarutobi fell with the weight of his body. His soul was almost completely consumed by the Reaper. He hit the ground with the last of Orochimaru's threats and was gone. He died with a smile on his face.

Gaara jumped into the space between himself and Naruto who did the same, fists raised high. Gaara threw, Naruto dodged, Naruto threw and hit. The punch was all Naruto had and with Gaara's weak body, it was just enough. Gaara fell to the ground hard on his back, numb from the pain.

Temari had run to seek out her brother. After twenty minutes of searching a small voice called out to her. "Temari . . ." She looked to find him completely drained of all chakra, "Kankuro!"

Sakura was far gone, her maroon blood pooling at the base of the tree she hung from. With Gaara's chakra lost to him, the sand that held her in its death grasp began to soften and slip away. When all was gone she began to fall. She had already lost so much blood that, when the sand that held tight over her wounds had left her, the flow of blood from them didn't increase in the slightest.

Kero came from the brush, catching the fallen Sakura in mid-fall. She landed beside where Sasuke lay, barely coherent and conscious. Quickly thinking, she ripped some pieces from her shirt, tightly tying it in a choking hold around Sakura's chest to stop whatever blood may have been left from escaping. She ripped a few more pieces from her skirt, tying it around Sasuke's waist to her own and another around his shoulder blades to her own, tying him to her back while scooping Sakura up in her arm. She knew she should go and help with Gaara, but with two wounded she wouldn't be much help to anyone. With that decided, she turned back for Konoha.

Gaara lay where he had fallen, mind spinning and body flaring. How had this happened, how could he have lost . . .and why. He was stronger than this, stronger than anyone, no one could beat him. But this fool, this person, who had over-weighted ties had been able to best him in battle. Impossible.

The sound of earth moving reached his ears. Gaara looked toward the blonde to see him crawling toward Gaara like a worm. Gaara convulsed in anger. "Don't come near me!!" His bluish eyes shrunk in worry and terror. This person didn't necessarily frighten him, but the thought of his being coming any closer made him shudder. But something caught his eye that shocked him, made his mind race with confusion.

Eyes.

Eyes he saw. Eyes of his enemy, eyes of pity . . .and understanding.

"The pain of being alone . . .is not an easy one to bear . . .The way you feel . . .I don't know why, but . . .I understand it so well . . .the hurt . . ."

Gaara was a blank slate with nothing he could respond with to that.

"But . . .I've got people who care about me now . . .People that are important to me . . .I won't let you hurt them . . .!" Naruto continued to crawl forward, unable to use his arms to move, dragged himself by the chin, his eyes contracting into animal-like slits. "And if you try to kill them . . .I will stop you . . .!"

"Why . . .?" It was something he could not understand. "Why should you care about others . . .?"

Naruto thought for a moment, trying to find the perfect words. Finally, something simple came to mind. "They saved me from the hell of being alone . . .I couldn't live without them . . .**I love them**."

Gaara relaxed, remembering the word from a time long ago. " . . .love . . ."

"Do you understand?" A feminine voice, weak and strained, sprung up from around a tree. Shira also had not been defeated by him, she was not dead! He had become weak, it was frustrating!

Shira fell to her knees and touched Gaara's shoulder and he shuddered at the human contact. Her closeness let him see the wounds he had left her with. He couldn't tell if she had healed herself, her blood staining her blue clothes in large circular shapes.

"Why aren't you dead?" The question was matter of fact.

She smiled weakly in an attempt to be cocky, her voice in small huffs of breath. "What can I say, I die hard." She looked to Naruto, almost ignoring Gaara. "I would heal you, but I don't really have enough chakra left."

He smiled and let a wave of sleep take him. "I see . . ."

She returned her attention to Gaara, seemingly with malice. "Well, do you understand what he is trying to say to you?"

Gaara felt his anger toward this strange girl return. "How dare you judge me?! You have friends, people who care about you! You could never understand how I feel and you dare to judge me!!!"

She knew that if he had the strength to, he would certainly strike out at her but even if he had the strength, she wouldn't have silenced herself nonetheless. "When you have a serious wound, you're given antiseptics and pain killers to dull the pain. But dulling the pain doesn't make it go away. It just makes you forget about it for a while."

Her words of passion made it threw to him, feeling the emotion she put into the phrase she chose. How she could put this so perfectly, enough to breach the barrier he had placed around himself with such ease, made him question how she could feel such passion on such a subject, but such a thing was not to question now. He lay silent and said no more.


End file.
